The Prox application, whose objective is to inform surrounding communities about the situation of the dams, already has a record of 536 structures. In all, data from 11 different mining companies were aggregated, including Samarco and Vale, responsible for the tragedies that occurred in Mariana and Brumadinho, in Minas Gerais.
The tool was created in a partnership between Companhia Energética de Minas Gerais (Cemig), a state-owned company in the energy sector, and the Brazilian Mining Institute (Ibram), which represents the largest mining companies operating in the country. although it was released in 2021, new features continue to be added. They were presented today (17) in a new release.
The application was developed to gather safety information on dams linked to mining and hydroelectric plants, in addition to serving as a channel for interaction between companies, municipal managers, firefighters, civil defense professionals and the population. Surrounding communities can monitor the situation of the structures and receive alerts in cases of rupture, floods and fires.
Escape routes
The register of each dam brings varied data such as height, volume, construction method, safety situation and scope of the area that would be affected in case of a rupture. It is also possible to consult which are the escape routes during a possible tragedy and which are the main emergency contacts of mining companies and public bodies.
Among the most recent improvements, the Prox application has also been adding data on risks involving rain, electrical discharges and fires.
“If a municipality does not have a dam nearby, but has a critical point for landslides or urban flooding, the idea is that the municipal Civil Defense registers these points and manages to deliver the information they need to the population”, said Julio Nery, director of sustainability and regulatory affairs at Ibram. He highlighted that the application was developed for any position in Brazil and that there are already structures registered outside Minas Gerais.
As he explained, communication is done through georeferenced registration of the mobile device of those who download the application, which means that each person receives precise information about their region. He believes that the application contributes to more efficient communication and strengthens the civil defense and protection system in the territories.
fake news
The name Prox refers to the Proximity program, created by Cemig in 2005 to promote integration with communities around hydroelectric plants. Within the scope of the project, a more rudimentary application was already used that gathered information from the reservoirs under the management of the state-owned mining company.
It was based on this experience that the new tool was designed, expanding the data to cover mining dams. The evolution of the application also mobilized the mining huban innovation initiative supported by Ibram to promote new solutions for the mineral sector.
Ibram’s CEO, Raul Jungmann, said that the tool combats false news, which tend to generate instability and fear among community residents, especially in the rainy season. “People will have easy access to official and secure information,” he emphasized.
