Biological, physicochemical, and social impacts resulting from the rupture of the Fundão Dam

Abstract

Mining is essential to Brazil's economy; however, the collapse of the Fundão Dam on November 5, 2015, due to the improper deposition of tailings, released approximately 50 million cubic meters of tailings into the environment. This disaster, the largest in the Brazilian mining sector and one of the most significant globally, affected the Doce River and its ecosystem across over 650 kilometers to the Atlantic Ocean, causing extensive damage to biodiversity and contaminating the Atlantic Forest, estuaries, and coastal areas, with the risk of extinction for some species. Water quality was severely compromised, with increased levels of heavy metals and significant impacts on microbiota, flora, and aquatic fauna. The social and economic consequences were also severe, affecting mental health, fishing, and agriculture within local communities. Accordingly, this review article seeks to address the identified knowledge gaps by comprehensively examining the biological, physicochemical, and social impacts of the Fundão Dam collapse. The review also highlights the differences between pre- and post-disaster and discusses the inadequacy of the containment measures adopted. The conclusion is that mitigation efforts were insufficient and delayed, resulting in lasting and severe consequences for both the environment and the population, underscoring the need for more effective environmental protection in the mining sector.

Keywords: contamination, environmental impacts, mining.