Muva nje, intatheli evela e-China Metallurgical News ithole e-Vale ukuthi ngemva kweminyaka engu-7 yocwaningo kanye nokutshalwa kwezimali okungama-reais ayizigidi ezingu-50 (cishe ama-US$878,900), inkampani ithuthukise ngempumelelo inqubo yokukhiqiza i-ore esezingeni eliphezulu evumela intuthuko esimeme. I-Vale isebenzise le nqubo yokukhiqiza endaweni yokusebenza kwe-iron ore yenkampani e-Minas Gerais, eBrazil, futhi iguqula ukucubungula i-tailings okwakudinga ukusetshenziswa kwamadamu noma izindlela zokufaka i-stacking zibe imikhiqizo ye-ore esezingeni eliphezulu. Imikhiqizo ye-ore ekhiqizwa yile nqubo ingasetshenziswa embonini yokwakha.
Kuyaqondakala ukuthi kuze kube manje, iVale isicubungule futhi ikhiqize amathani angaba ngu-250,000 emikhiqizo yesihlabathi samaminerali esezingeni eliphezulu, enokuqukethwe okuphezulu kwe-silicon, okuqukethwe okuphansi kakhulu kwensimbi, kanye nokufana kwamakhemikhali aphezulu kanye nokufana kosayizi wezinhlayiya. IVale ihlela ukuthengisa noma ukunikela ngomkhiqizo ukuze kukhiqizwe ukhonkolo, udaka, usimende noma ugandaye imigwaqo.
UMarcello Spinelli, iPhini likaMongameli oPhethe we-Iron Ore Business yaseVale, uthe: “Kunesidingo esikhulu sesihlabathi embonini yokwakha. Imikhiqizo yethu ye-ore inikeza ukukhetha okuthembekile embonini yokwakha, ngenkathi kunciphisa umthelela wemvelo wokwelashwa kwe-tailings. Umthelela omubi obangelwayo.”
Ngokwezibalo zeZizwe Ezihlangene, isidingo sonyaka somhlaba wonke sesihlabathi siphakathi kwamathani ayizigidi eziyizinkulungwane ezingama-40 namathani ayizigidi eziyizinkulungwane ezingama-50. Isihlabathi sesibe umthombo wemvelo onenani elikhulu kakhulu lokukhishwa okwenziwe umuntu ngemva kwamanzi. Lo mkhiqizo wesihlabathi samaminerali we-Vale utholakala kumkhiqizo wensimbi. I-ore eluhlaza ingaba i-ore yensimbi ngemva kwezinqubo eziningana ezifana nokuchoboza, ukuhlunga, ukugaya kanye nokuzuza efektri. Enkambisweni yokuzuza yendabuko, imikhiqizo engaphansi kwengxenye izoba yizinsalela, okumele zilahlwe ngamadamu noma ngezinqwaba. Le nkampani iphinda icubungule imikhiqizo engaphansi kwengxenye yensimbi esigabeni sokuzuza kuze kube yilapho ihlangabezana nezidingo zekhwalithi futhi iba umkhiqizo wesihlabathi samaminerali sekhwalithi ephezulu. UVale uthe ngokusebenzisa inqubo yokuguqula izinsalela zibe yi-ore yekhwalithi ephezulu, ithani ngalinye lemikhiqizo ye-ore ekhiqizwayo linganciphisa ithani elilodwa lezinsalela. Kubikwa ukuthi abacwaningi abavela kwi-Institute of Sustainable Minerals eNyuvesi yaseQueensland e-Australia kanye neYunivesithi yaseGeneva eSwitzerland okwamanje benza ucwaningo oluzimele lokuhlaziya izici zemikhiqizo yesihlabathi samaminerali saseVale ukuze baqonde ukuthi ingaba yini ngempela enye indlela eqhubekayo esikhundleni sesihlabathi. Futhi kuncishiswe kakhulu inani lemfucuza ekhiqizwa yimisebenzi yezimayini.
UJefferson Corraide, uMphathi Omkhulu we-Brucutu kanye ne-Agualimpa eVale, uthe: “Lolu hlobo lwemikhiqizo ye-ore luyimikhiqizo eluhlaza ngempela. Yonke imikhiqizo ye-ore icutshungulwa ngezindlela ezibonakalayo. Ukwakheka kwamakhemikhali kwezinto zokusetshenziswa akukashintshwa ngesikhathi sokucubungula, futhi umkhiqizo awunabo ubuthi futhi awunangozi.”
UVale uthe uhlela ukuthengisa noma ukunikela ngamathani angaphezu kwesigidi esisodwa emikhiqizo enjalo ye-ore ngo-2022, futhi wandise umkhiqizo wemikhiqizo ye-ore ube ngamathani ayizigidi ezimbili ngo-2023. Kubikwa ukuthi abathengi balo mkhiqizo kulindeleke ukuthi bavele ezifundeni ezine eBrazil, iMinas Gerais, i-Espirito Santo, iSao Paulo kanye neBrasilia.
“Sikulungele ukwandisa imakethe yokusetshenziswa kwemikhiqizo yesihlabathi samaminerali kusukela ngo-2023, futhi ngenxa yalokhu simise ithimba elizinikele ukuqhuba leli bhizinisi elisha.” kusho uRogério Nogueira, umqondisi wemakethe yensimbi yaseVale.
“Njengamanje, ezinye izindawo zokumba eMinas Gerais nazo zilungiselela uchungechunge lwamalungiselelo okwamukela le nqubo yokukhiqiza. Ngaphezu kwalokho, sibambisana nezikhungo eziningi zocwaningo ukuthuthukisa izixazululo ezintsha futhi sizibophezele ekuphathweni okunengqondo kwensimbi. I-ore tailings inikeza imibono emisha.” kusho u-André Vilhena, umphathi webhizinisi laseVale. Ngaphezu kokusebenzisa ingqalasizinda ekhona endaweni yokumba insimbi, iVale iphinde yasungula inethiwekhi enkulu yezokuthutha ukuze ithuthe kahle nangokulula imikhiqizo yesihlabathi samaminerali esimeme iye emazweni amaningi eBrazil. “Ukugxila kwethu ukuqinisekisa ukusimama kwebhizinisi lensimbi, futhi sithemba ukunciphisa ukuthinteka kwemvelo kwemisebenzi yenkampani ngaleli bhizinisi elisha.” kwengeza uVilliena.
I-Vale ibilokhu yenza ucwaningo ngezicelo zokwelashwa kwe-tailings kusukela ngo-2014. Ngo-2020, inkampani yavula isitshalo sokuqala sokuhlola esisebenzisa i-tailings njengezinto eziyinhloko zokusetshenziswa ukukhiqiza imikhiqizo yokwakha - imboni yezitini zePico. Lesi sitshalo sitholakala endaweni yezimayini zePico e-Itabilito, eMinas Gerais. Njengamanje, i-Federal Technical Education Center yaseMinas Gerais ithuthukisa ngenkuthalo ukubambisana kwezobuchwepheshe nePico Brick Factory. Lesi sikhungo sithumele abacwaningi abangaphezu kwe-10, okuhlanganisa oprofesa, abafundi abaphothule iziqu, abafundi be-undergraduate nabafundi bezifundo zobuchwepheshe, ePico Brick Factory ukuyokwenza ucwaningo mathupha.
Ngaphezu kocwaningo nokuthuthukiswa kwemikhiqizo yemvelo, iVale iphinde yathatha izinyathelo ezahlukahlukene zokunciphisa inani lemisila, okwenza imisebenzi yezimayini iqhubeke isikhathi eside. Le nkampani izibophezele ekuthuthukiseni ubuchwepheshe bokucubungula okomile obungadingi amanzi. Njengamanje, cishe u-70% wemikhiqizo ye-iron ore yaseVale ikhiqizwa ngobuchwepheshe bokucubungula okomile. Le nkampani ithe ukusetshenziswa kobuchwepheshe bokucubungula okomile kuhlobene kakhulu nekhwalithi ye-iron ore. I-iron ore endaweni yezimayini zaseCarajás inokuqukethwe okuphezulu kwensimbi (ngaphezu kuka-65%), futhi ukucubungula kudinga kuphela ukuchotshozwa nokuhlungwa ngokobukhulu bezinhlayiya.
I-subsidiary yaseVale ithuthukise ubuchwepheshe bokuhlukaniswa kwamandla kagesi owomile we-ore ecolekile, obusetshenziswe esitshalweni sokuhlola eMinas Gerais. I-Vale isebenzisa lobu buchwepheshe enqubweni yokuzuza i-ore yensimbi esezingeni eliphansi. Isitshalo sokuqala sezentengiselwano sizosetshenziswa endaweni yokusebenza yaseDavarren ngo-2023. I-Vale ithe lesi sitshalo sizoba nomthamo wokukhiqiza waminyaka yonke wamathani ayizigidi eziyi-1.5, kanti imali etshaliwe kulindeleke ukuthi ibe yizigidi eziyi-US$150. Ngaphezu kwalokho, i-Vale ivule isitshalo esisodwa sokuhlunga i-tailings endaweni yezimayini i-Great Varjin, futhi ihlela ukuvula ezinye izitshalo ezintathu zokuhlunga i-tailings kwikota yokuqala ka-2022, esinye sazo sitholakala endaweni yezimayini i-Brucutu kanti ezimbili zitholakala e-Iraq. Indawo yezimayini i-Tagbila.