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Brumadinho dam failure

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2024

23. Brumadinho dam failure

In January 2019, a tailings dam (“Dam I”) experienced a failure at the Córrego do Feijão mine, in the city of Brumadinho, state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. The failure released a flow of tailings debris, destroying some of Vale’s facilities, affecting local communities and disturbing the environment. The tailings released have caused an impact of around 315 km in extension, reaching the nearby Paraopeba River. The dam failure in Brumadinho (“event”) resulted in 270 fatalities or presumed fatalities and caused extensive property and environmental damage in the region.

As a result of the dam failure, the Company recognized provisions to meet its assumed obligations, including indemnification to those affected by the event, remediation of the impacted areas and compensation to the society. Changes in the provisions are shown below:


	December 31, 2023	Revision to estimates	Monetary and present value adjustments	Disbursements	Translation adjustment	June 30, 2024
Integral Reparation Agreement
Payment obligations	562	(8)	28	(100)	(66)	416
Provision for socio-economic reparation and others	592	(11)	37	(92)	(70)	456
Provision for social and environmental reparation	843	(32)	26	(55)	(103)	679
	1,997	(51)	91	(247)	(239)	1,551
Other obligations
Tailings containment, geotechnical safety and environmental reparation	684	(12)	28	(69)	(84)	547
Individual indemnification	83	-	6	(44)	(7)	38
Other	296	43	18	(40)	(41)	276
	1,063	31	52	(153)	(132)	861
Liability	3,060	(20)	143	(400)	(371)	2,412

The cash flow for obligations are estimated for an average period ranging from 5 to 7 years and were discounted to the present value at an annual rate in real terms, which increased from 5.31% on December 31, 2023, to 6.50% on June 30, 2024.

In addition, the Company has incurred expenses, which have been recognized straight to the income statement as “Other operating revenues (expenses), net” (note 5c), in relation to tailings management, communication, humanitarian assistance, payroll, legal services, water supply, among others. The Company incurred expenses in the amount of US$89 and US$199 for the three and six-month period ended June 30, 2024, respectively (2023: US$131 and US$242, respectively).

Judicial Settlement for Integral Reparation

The Settlement for Integral Reparation includes: (i) payment obligations, of which the funds will be used directly by the State of Minas Gerais and Institutions of Justice for socio-economic and socio-environmental compensation projects; (ii) socioeconomic projects in Brumadinho and other municipalities; and (iii) compensation of the environmental damage caused by the dam failure. These obligations are projected for an average period of 6 years.

For the obligations of (i) and (ii), the agreement specifies an amount for each project and changes in the original budget and deadlines may have an impact in the provision. In addition, the execution of the environmental recovery actions has no cap limit despite having been estimated in the Settlement for Integral Reparation due to the Company's legal obligation to fully repair the environmental damage caused by the dam failure. The expenses related to these obligations are deducted from the income tax calculation, in accordance with the Brazilian tax regulation, which is subject to periodic inspection by the competent authorities. Therefore, although Vale is monitoring this provision, the amount recorded could materially change depending on several factors that are not under the Company’s control.

Other obligations

The Company is also working to ensure geotechnical safety of the remaining structures at the Córrego do Feijão mine, in Brumadinho, and the removal and proper disposal of the tailings of Dam I, including dredging part of the released material and de-sanding from the channel of the river Paraopeba.

For the individual indemnification, Vale and the Public Defendants of the State of Minas Gerais formalized an agreement on April 5, 2019, under which those affected by the Brumadinho’s dam failure may join an individual or family group out-of Court settlement agreements for the indemnification of material, economic and moral damages. This agreement establishes the basis for a wide range of indemnification payments, which were defined according to the best practices and case law of Brazilian Courts, following rules and principles of the United Nations.

a) Contingent liabilities

Public civil actions brought by the State of Minas Gerais and state public prosecutors for damages resulting from the failure of Dam I

The Company is party to public civil actions brought by the State of Minas Gerais and justice institutions, claiming compensation for socioeconomic and socio-environmental damages resulting from the dam failure and seeking a broad range of decisions ordering Vale to execute specific remediation and reparation actions. As a result of the Judicial Settlement for Integral Reparation, settled in February 2021, the requests for the reparation of socio-environmental and socioeconomic damages caused by the dam failure were substantially resolved. The individual damages were excluded from the Judicial Settlement for Integral Reparation, and the Term of Commitment signed with the Public Defendants of the State of Minas Gerais was ratified, whose parameters are utilized as a basis for the settlement of individual agreements. The phase of sentence liquidation was instituted in the aforementioned public civil actions for the quantification of the alleged remaining individual damages, with Vale having filed an instrument appeal against this decision, still pending judgment. The likelihood of a financial loss to the Company is classified as possible and it is not yet possible to reliably estimate the amount of a potential loss to Vale.

Public civil action and investigation under the Brazilian Anticorruption Law

In October 2020, the Brazilian Office of the Comptroller General (“CGU”) notified the Company about an administrative proceeding prosecution based on the same allegations mentioned above under the Brazilian Law 12,846/2013 in connection with inspection and monitoring activities related to the Brumadinho dam. In August 2022, the CGU understood that Vale has failed to present reliable information to the Brazilian National Mining Agency (“ANM”), as once a positive stability condition statement (“DCE”) was issued for the Dam I, where it should be negative in the view of the CGU. Thus, even recognizing the non-existence of corruption acts or practices, the CGU fined Vale US$15 (R$86 million), which is the minimum amount established by law, i.e., the CGU recognizes the non-involvement or tolerance of the Company’s top management.

In September 2023, CGU denied the request for reconsideration filed by the Company and, therefore, Vale paid the fine of US$15 (R$86 million) in 2023. Vale disagrees with the decision and is adopting the appropriate legal measures.

Class action in the United States

Vale is defending itself against a class action brought before a Federal Court in New York and filed by holders of securities - American Depositary Receipts ("ADRs") - issued by Vale. In May 2020, the Court issued a decision that denied the Motion to Dismiss presented by the Company. The Discovery phase was concluded in November 2023. Upon the filing of a pre-motion letter for the Motion for Summary Judgment presented in January 2024 by the parties, the Court should decide whether the Parties may file their motion for summary judgment.

On November 24, 2021, a new complaint was filed before the same Court by eight Plaintiffs, all investment funds, as an “opt-out” litigation from the class action already pending in the Eastern District of New York court, asserting virtually the same allegations in the main class action. A decision from the Court is pending on the Motion to Dismiss presented by the Company.

The likelihood of loss of these proceedings is considered possible. However, considering the current phase of these lawsuits, it is not yet possible to reliably estimate the amount of a potential loss. The amount of damages sought in these claims is unspecified.

Criminal proceedings and investigations

In January 2020, the State Prosecutors of Minas Gerais (“MPMG”) filed criminal charges against 16 individuals (including former executive officers of Vale and former employees) for a number of potential crimes, including homicide, and against Vale S.A. for alleged environmental crimes.

In November 2021, the Brazilian Federal Police concluded the investigation on potential criminal responsibility related with the Brumadinho dam failure and the final report sent to the Federal Public Prosecutors (“MPF”).

In January 2023, after the Federal Supreme Court recognized the competence of the Federal Court to judge the cause, the MPF ratified the complaint authored by the MPMG, previously offered in 2020 to the Justice of Brumadinho, and the rectification was received by the Federal Court. Parallel to the criminal action, the MPF and the Brazilian Federal Police continue to conduct a separate investigation into the causes of the dam failure in Brumadinho, which may result in new criminal proceedings. Currently, the process is suspended, due to a judicial decision. It is not possible to estimate when a final decision will be issued by the Federal Court. The likelihood of a financial loss to the Company is classified as possible and it is not yet possible to reliably estimate the amount of a potential loss to Vale.

Public civil actions brought by labor unions

In 2021, public civil actions were filed with Labor Court of Betim in the State of Minas Gerais, by a workers' unions claiming the compensation for death damages to own and outsourced employees, who died as a result of the failure of Dam I. Initial decisions sentenced Vale to pay US$180 thousand (R$1 million) per fatality. In June 2023, the Superior Labor Court ruled on the lawsuit filed by workers’ union, sustaining the initial decision that condemned Vale. The Company is defending itself in the lawsuits and considers that the likelihood of loss is possible.

Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) and investigations conducted by the CVM

On April 28, 2022, the SEC filed a lawsuit against Vale in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York, alleging that certain Vale’s disclosures related to dam safety management prior to the dam failure in Brumadinho violated U.S. securities laws. On March 28, 2023, Vale reached a settlement with the SEC to fully resolve this litigation. Under the agreement, without admitting or denying the settled claims, Vale paid US$56 during the year ended December 31, 2023. The settlement resolves the litigation without judgment on the claims based upon intentional or reckless fraud. In April 2023, the settlement was approved and granted by the Court.

CVM is also conducting investigations relating to Vale's disclosure of relevant information to shareholders, investors and the market in general, especially regarding the conditions and management of Vale's dams. The likelihood of loss of this proceeding is classified as possible and it is not yet possible to reliably estimate the amount of a potential loss to the Company.

Arbitration proceedings in Brazil filed by shareholders, a class association and foreign investment funds

In Brazil, Vale is named as a defendant in (i) one arbitration filed by 385 minority shareholders, (ii) two arbitrations filed by a class association allegedly representing all Vale’s noncontrolling shareholders, and (iii) three arbitrations filed by foreign investment funds.

In the six proceedings, the claimants argue that Vale was aware of the risks associated with the dam and failed to disclose it to its shareholders. Based on such argument, they claim compensation for losses caused by the decrease in share price.

The expectation of loss is classified as possible for the six procedures and, considering the initial phase, it is not possible at this time to reliably estimate the amount of a possible loss.

In one of the proceedings filed by foreign funds, the Claimants initially estimated the amount of the alleged losses would be approximately US$324 (R$1,800 million). In another proceeding filed by foreign funds, the Claimants initially estimated the amount of the alleged losses would be approximately US$702 (R$3,900 million). In the procedure presented by minority shareholders, the applicants estimated the alleged losses at approximately US$540 (R$3,000 million), which could be increased later, as alleged by the applicants.

The Company disagrees with the ongoing proceedings and understands that, in this case and at the current stage of the proceedings, the probability of loss in the amount claimed by the foreign funds is remote.

Other proceedings

Vale is defendant in a number of investigations and proceedings brought by individuals, business entities, investors, associations, unions, legislative bodies, non-governmental organizations and other entities seeking remediation and compensation for environmental, property and personal damages resulting from the Brumadinho dam failure, including alleged violations of securities laws. The potential loss was US$109 as of June 30, 2024 (December 31, 2023: US$94) and the likelihood of a potential loss to the Company is classified as possible.

d) Insurance

The Company is negotiating with insurance companies the payment of indemnification under its civil liability and Directors and Officers Liability Insurance. In six-month period ended June 30, 2024, the Company received US$8 (2023: US$11) from insurers which was recorded in income statement as “Other operating revenues (expenses), net” (note 5c).