Brazilian iron ore miner Vale fired an inspection firm because the company refus...
SAO PAULO/RIO DE JANEIRO - Brazilian iron ore miner Vale fired an inspection firm because the company refused to certify one of its dams as safe, months before the barrier collapsed and killed hundreds, prosecutors said in a document filed this week, as they explained why they wanted top Vale executives ousted.
Instead, Vale relied on Germany’s TÜV SÜD , which signed off on the dam that burst and killed hundreds in January, despite evidence from its own readings that the structure was “way below” the recommended safety level, the prosecutors said.TÜV SÜD officials could not be reached for comment. Last month, the firm said it would halt providing certifications for Vale’s tailings dams, which hold back mining waste.
The replacement of a firm reluctant to sign off on the dam’s safety by one willing to do so was one of several such moves by the company’s geotechnical unit, according to the prosecutors. Vale created the unit to improve safety after another deadly dam collapse in 2015. The allegations were contained in a document given to Vale on Friday recommending the immediate “temporary removal” of then CEO Fabio Schvartsman as well as Ferrous Metals Chief Peter Poppinga and other executives.
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