Abstract
The Fundão tailings dam in the Germano iron mining complex (Mariana, Brazil) collapsed on the afternoon of 5 November 2015, and around 32.6 million cubic meters of mining waste spilled from the dam, causing polluion with mining waste along a trajectory of 668 km, extending to the Atlantic Ocean. The Sela & Tulipa and Selinha dikes, and the main Germano tailings dam, were directly or indirectly affected by the accident. This work presents an investigation using Advanced-Differential Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (A-DInSAR) techniques for risk assessment in these critical structures during 18 months after the catastrophic event. The approach was based on the integration of SBAS (Small Baseline Subset) and PSI (Persistent Scatterer Interferometry) techniques, aiming at detecting linear and nonlinear ground displacements in these mining structures. It used a set of 48 TerraSAR-X images acquired on ascending mode from 11 November 2015 to 15 May 2017. The results provided by the A-DInSAR analysis indicated an overall stability in the dikes and in the main wall of Germano tailings dam, which is in agreement with in situ topographic monitoring. In addition, it was possible to detect areas within the reservoir showing accumulated values of up to −125 mm of subsidence, probably caused by settlements of the waste dry material due to the interruption of the mining waste deposition, and values up to −80 mm on auxiliary dikes, probably caused by continuous traffic of heavy equipment. The spatiotemporal information of surface displacement of this large mining structure can be used for future operational planning and risk control.
Highlights
SAMARCO Mineração S.A., a 50-50 joint venture between the Brazilian Vale S.A. and the Australian-British BHP Billiton Brazil Ltd. (Melbourne, Australia), owns and operates the Germano iron mining complex, with an installed production of iron pellets of 30.5 million of metric tons, and iron waste of 20.7 million of metric tons in 2017 [1]
The results of the small baselines subset (SBAS) based on the interferometric pairs configuration are shown in Figure 4, providing information regarding the displacement velocity (Figure 6) and the digital elevation error
The integration of SBAS and PSI techniques, using high-resolution TSX-1 data acquired at relatively short intervals (11 days) and covering the time span from 11 November 2015 to 15 May 2017, allowed monitoring of the presence of changes in ground displacement patterns on the remaining tailings dam and dikes of Germano mining complex
Summary
SAMARCO Mineração S.A., a 50-50 joint venture between the Brazilian Vale S.A. (the worlds largest iron producer) and the Australian-British BHP Billiton Brazil Ltd. (Melbourne, Australia), owns and operates the Germano iron mining complex, with an installed production of iron pellets of 30.5 million of metric tons, and iron waste of 20.7 million of metric tons in 2017 [1]. (Melbourne, Australia), owns and operates the Germano iron mining complex, with an installed production of iron pellets of 30.5 million of metric tons, and iron waste of 20.7 million of metric tons in 2017 [1]. The complex is located in the municipality of Mariana, Minas Gerais State, which accounted for 72.5% of the Brazilian iron reserves (19.4 billion of tons) and 68.8% of national production in 2013 [2]. 2018, 10, x FOR PEER REVIEW complex includes open pit mines, waste piles, industrial plants, pipelines, and a system of three dams, tGherGmearnmoanaondanFdunFdunãodãtoaitlianilgins gdsadmasmasnadndthteheSaSnatnatraermemddamam, ,aarreesseerrvvooirirwwhheerree wwaatteerr is ssttoorreedd ffoorr iinndduussttrriiaallrreeuussee((FFiigguurree11)). TThheestsrturcutcutruerewwasasinisntastlaleldledinin2020080, 8w, iwthitshtosrtaograegoef o5f5 5m5 imlliiollniocnucbuicbimc metertesrosfotfatialinlignsgsmmataetreirailasls(N(Noovvemembberer22001155).).OOnntthheeaafftteerrnnoooonn ooff 5 November 22001155,, tthhee FFuunnddããoo dam colllaappsseedd,, aannddaabboouutt3322.6.6mmililliloinonofocfucbuibcimc metertserosf omf imniinnginwgawstaesstpeisllpeidllefrdomfrotmhe tdhaemd,amab,oaubto6u0t%60o%f oitfsitosvoevraelrlalclacpaapcaitcyityatathtehetitmime.e.TThhe eeevveennt tpprroodduucceeddmmuudd wwaavveess 100 m hhiigghh,, ddeessttrrooyyiinngg bbuuiillddiinnggss aanndd iinnffrraassttrruuccttuurree iinn tthheerruurraallddiissttrriiccttssooffBBeennttooRRooddrriigguueess,,PPaarraaccaattuuddeeBBaaiixxoo aanndd GGeesstteeiirraa,, kkiilllliinngg 1199 ppeeooppllee,, ppoolllluuttiinngg 666688 kkmm ooff wwaatteerrccoouurrsseess ffrroomm tthhee DDooccee RRiivveerr bbaassiinn ttoo tthhee AAttlalanntitcicOOcecaena,na,ndanindvoinlvvionlgvtinhge BtrhaezilBiarnazAiltilaanntiAc Ftloarnetsict (cFoonrseisdter(ecdonosniedeorfetdheownoerldofs tbhioediwveorrslditys hboiotsdpiovtesr)s,ietystuhaortisnpeo,tcso),aestsatul anridnem, acoriansetaelnavnirdonmmaernintes [e3n].vSiroomnme oenf tshe[3w].aSsotemtaeiloinf gthserewleaassteedtbaiylitnhges fraeilueareseodf tbhyetFhuenfdaãiloudreamof flthoewFeudnodvãeor tdhaemSafnlotawréemd odvaemr,tchaeuSsianngtaarépmartdiaalmer,ocsaiuonsinofgtahepmaratianlbeordoysionf tohfetdhaemm, ainndbcoodnycoomf itthaentddaamm, aagnedtocotnhceosmupitpaonrttidnagmsatrguecttuorethseofsuthpepSoerltinhgasatrnudctSuerleas&ofTuthliepaSedliknehsa oanndthSeesliad&e wTuallispoafdtihkeesGoenrmthaenosideamw.alls of the Germano dam
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