Vale reported today that it has once again halted operations at its On??a Puma nickel mine after Brazil's state of Par?? obtained a court order to reinstate the suspension of the venture's operating license.
Operations at On??a Puma were first halted in early October, but a judge granted Vale an injunction on October 7 allowing it to resume activities.
The suspension comes after a new decision by a higher court.
Vale said that it would take measures seeking to overturn the decision.
On??a Puma's annual capacity is 58,000 tonnes of nickel contained in ferronickel.
Para's environment department said on October 4 that the license was suspended due to Vale's failure to comply with terms of the permit, which included an obligation to provide services for communities surrounding the mine.
Small farmers in the region allege that they live in isolation and have not received any support from Vale since the project started up.
According to a report from the NGO Finnwatch, Vale operations generated deforestation and polluted the Catet?(C) river, and threaten the lifestyle of the Amazon's indigenous tribe known as the Xikrin.
In 2018, a Brazilian court ordered Vale to pay the Xikrin and Kayapo indigenous tribes US$26.8 million over river contamination and public health-related issues.
Vale's nickel production in Brazil totalled 16,000 tonnes last year, and On??a Puma accounted for 7.5% of that.