286 Figure 7 – Location of Abóboras Mine and Vargem Grande Tailings Dam. Sampling campaigns conducted at the Vargem Grande Dam and the Abóboras pit indicated iron grades ranging from 49% to 57%. Based on these results and plant testing, reprocessing began in 2022. Since then, more than 5 million tons have been reused, with projections to reach approximately 10 million tons by 2028, coinciding with the completion of the decharacterization process. In 2024, additional drilling was carried out to improve knowledge of the tailings, and a block model was developed to support reuse activities within the Vargem Grande Complex. Currently, tailings are placed in bays for preliminary drying from the Vargem Grande Dam (Figure 8). Then, these and the Abóboras pit are blended with run-of-mine (ROM) itabirite from the Abóboras, Tamanduá, and Horizontes mines to feed the Vargem Grande 02 and Abóboras plants, achieving mass recovery rates of approximately 55%. At the ITM-D plant in Pico, blending occurs with ROM from the Sapecado and Galinheiro mines, with recovery rates around 60%. Residual tailings from this process are disposed of in the Maravilhas III dam.
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