On February 11, Vale released its 2021 production report. According to the report, Vale’s iron ore production reached 315.6 million tons in 2021, an increase of 15.2 million tons from the same period in 2020, and a year-on-year increase of 5%. Pellet production reached 31.7 million tons, an increase of 2 million tons over the same period in 2020. Cumulative sales of fine and pellets reached 309.8 million tons, up 23.7 million tons from the same period in 2020.
In addition, the company’s tailings filtration plants at itabira and Brukutu operations will gradually come online in the second half of 2022, with increased tailings storage capacity at Itabirucu and Torto mines, respectively. As a result, Vale expects annual iron ore capacity to reach 370 million tonnes by the end of 2022, up 30 million tonnes year-on-year.
In the report, Vale said iron ore production growth in 2021 was mainly due to the following factors: the resumption of production at the Serra Leste operating area in late 2020; Production growth of high-silicon products in The Brucutu operating area; Improved operating performance in the Itabira Integrated operating area; The Timbopeba operation area will operate 6 beneficiation production lines from March 2021. The resumption of wet beneficiation at Fabrica operations and production of high-silicon products; Third party procurement increased.
Vale stressed that it is installing four primary and four mobile crushers at the S11D site in order to improve its performance and bring it up to rated capacity to reach 80 to 85 million tonnes per annum by 2022.