Vale noted that the person who died was employed by a third-party company and was operating an excavator when the landslide struck him.
The mine is very close to the Brumadinho town, the location of the 2019 dam disaster, reported Reuters.
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Known as the Brumadinho mining disaster, the dam collapse occurred on 25 January 2019 when a dam located near the Córrego do Feijão iron mine collapsed, causing a mudslide to hit the town of Brumadinho.
The Brumadinho disaster claimed lives of at least 270 people.
In a press statement, Vale stated: “On-site maintenance activities will be suspended for further studies and assessments of safety conditions. The company reiterates its commitment to the safety of all its employees and the communities.”
Last year, Brazil’s overall iron ore output was 404.9Mt.
In September, Brazil’s Senate passed a new bill that introduces tighter rules regulating the safety and inspection of dams in the mining industry across the country.
