Seven years after Brumadinho dam collapse, en­vi­ron­men­tal and regulatory concerns persist in Brazil

On January 25, 2019, a tailings dam owned by Vale S.A. collapsed at the Córrego do Feijão mine in Brumadinho, killing 272 people and releasing millions of cubic meters of mining waste into the Rio Paraopeba. The disaster contaminated water sources, damaged farmland and infrastructure, and affected downstream communities. Seven years later, residents continue to report health impacts, economic losses, and unresolved demands for full reparations. Investigations in 2025 also highlight concerns about renewed mining at the nearby Jangada Mine, potential environmental risks, regulatory weaknesses in Minas Gerais, and broader pressures to expand mineral extraction linked to global energy transition demand.

Source: adapted from Business and Human Rights Centre, January 2026.