Our activities drive the economy, foster community development, and contribute to local prosperity. We prioritize hiring people from the communities near our operations through entry programs that provide opportunities for professional learning.
Get to know these programs:
Neighborhood: Jardim Canadá
This initiative aims to promote human dignity in all its dimensions by connecting residents of all ages who are in socially vulnerable situations in the Jardim Canadá neighborhood and surrounding areas through a network of support and inclusion. The project offers academic reinforcement activities, an organic educational garden, family assistance, bazaars, and community events.
Neighborhood: Jardim Canadá
Inaugurated in 2024, Casa Oté aims to strengthen and develop social institutions in the region by fostering collaboration among them and offering training and mentoring programs. The facility currently hosts 15 organizations from the neighborhood.
Neighborhood: Jardim Canadá
With over 20 years of experience, the Bola de Fogo Sports Association is dedicated to the development of children and youth in Nova Lima through the “Good at Soccer, Good at School” project. Supported by Vale, the initiative provides free soccer lessons and monitors the academic performance of participants, directly benefiting more than 400 children and adolescents from the Água Limpa and Jardim Canadá communities. In 2024, the project won seven championships, including the Nova Lima Futsal Cup, and helped train young athletes who were invited to try out for professional clubs. These achievements reflect the program’s positive impact, which goes beyond sports to promote quality education.
Neighborhood: Vale do Sol
This project seeks to foster personal and social development for 80 children and adolescents in a playful and healthy environment. Through circus arts and movement culture classes, the initiative expands their range of experiences and supports their holistic development in partnership with families, schools, and local institutions.
- Income transfer;
- Revitalization of local commerce and tourism;
- Strengthening of municipal public services;
- Addressing the needs of affected communities.
- Delivery of the new Rubem Costa Lima School;
- Renovation of the Capela Velha sports field;
- Upgrades to the Jardim Amanda sports court;
- Restructuring of the Nova Lima Civil Defense Outpost;
- Promotion of ecotourism through the opening of the new Perdidas Trail.
In Nova Lima, Vale preserves more than 5,632 hectares of natural areas—equivalent to over 5,000 football fields—including Private Natural Heritage Reserves (RPPNs), Environmental Easements, Legal Reserves, Permanent Preservation Areas, and Environmental Compensation zones.
Notable highlights include the Jambreiro RPPN with 912 hectares and the Serra da Calçada Natural Monument with 527 hectares.
Recognized as a natural, historical, and cultural heritage site of Nova Lima, Serra da Calçada stretches for 8 km between Brumadinho and Nova Lima. It features stunning landscapes and rich biodiversity, including endangered species.
Its name originates from the original 18th-century stone-paved road used to access farms and mining sites. Among the preserved ruins in the area—protected by the State Institute of Historical and Artistic Heritage (Iepha-MG)—are the São Caetano da Moeda Velha factory and the Forte de Brumadinho mining complex, built by the Portuguese Crown around 1750 to safeguard mining operations from internal and external threats.
The Serra is also part of a key environmental conservation area in the metropolitan region, home to numerous springs that feed local streams and trails.
Its preservation is the result of a partnership between Vale, public authorities, and civil society.
The Environmental Control Center (CCA) is responsible for real-time monitoring of air and water quality, noise levels, and ground vibrations in areas surrounding Vale’s operations. Hundreds of specialized professionals oversee these indicators 24/7.
In Nova Lima, monitoring is conducted through automated stations installed at strategic locations.
Operational practices include regular road wetting, slope spraying and hydroseeding, misting of stockpiles, and the application of biodegradable organic polymers on mining fronts and waste piles, among other measures to mitigate environmental impacts.
The Biofactory produces approximately 70,000 seedlings annually from native botanical species such as Arthrocereus glaziovii and Cattleya milleri.
Additionally, the Seedling Nursery cultivates around 50,000 plants each year, which are reintroduced into the environment to support ecological restoration efforts.
Supported by Vale and implemented by the Trilhas Project, the Vale Trail Circuit was designed for hiking and cycling enthusiasts.
The route spans over 180 km exclusively within Vale areas and connects to a broader network of trails in the region. The entire circuit has been mapped and is undergoing adaptation and signage improvements.
An innovative inclusive ecotourism initiative in Nova Lima and the Greater Belo Horizonte area, Trail for All aims to expand access to the region’s natural beauty for individuals with reduced mobility.
The project utilizes adapted equipment and provides specialized support for users. It is supported by Vale and was developed by the Trilhas Project in partnership with Mountain Bike BH and the Center for Suspended Art and Armatrux (C.A.S.A).
Photo: Arquivo Vale
- Dam 8B, at the Águas Claras Mine
- Auxiliary Dike of Dam 5, at the Águas Claras Mine
- Fernandinho Dam, at the Vargem Grande Complex
- B3/B4 Dam, at the Paraopeba Complex
- Vargem Grande Dam, at the Vargem Grande Complex – expected completion in 2027
Decharacterization eliminates the structure’s function of retaining tailings, sediments, or water, thereby reducing risks and enhancing environmental safety. All upstream-raised dams owned by Vale are inactive and undergoing engineering works, preliminary actions, or structural interventions.
This initiative is a legal obligation and one of Vale’s top priorities, aligned with its strategy to promote responsible mining, operational safety, and sustainable development in the regions where it operates.
Managing the sustainable development of a mining enterprise requires an integrated, long-term vision across all stages of a mine’s lifecycle. This approach aims to minimize risks and mitigate impacts, ensuring the physical, chemical, and biological stability of the territory, while promoting reintegration with surrounding communities.
Accordingly, mine closure and its associated financial provisioning are structured in parallel with operations, permeating all processes related to mining activities — including exploration, development, operation, and closure — and are not limited to the end of operations.
All of our operations have mine closure plans aligned with best practices recommended by the International Council on Mining and Metals (ICMM) and in compliance with current Brazilian mining legislation.
- Expansion of green areas and conservation of the Jambreiro Forest
- Creation of new leisure and sustainable tourism options
- Enhancement of the landscape and natural heritage
- Promotion of culture and environmental education
- Stimulation of the local economy through new opportunities
Learn more about Vale’s campaigns in Nova Lima
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