Vale has started the commissioning of the Capanema Maximization Project, located 80 kilometers from Belo Horizonte, between the municipalities of Santa Bárbara, Ouro Preto and Itabirito, in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. The site is part of Vale’s Operational Complex in Mariana and is expected to increase iron ore production by approximately 15 Mt/y. The operation will use natural moisture processing, which avoids the addition of water in the process and the generation of tailings, thus eliminating the use of tailings dams.
“We are restarting operations at the Capanema mine using safe, efficient and sustainable practices. Capanema will produce sinter feed at low cost and will not generate tailings. The mine will use autonomous trucks, which will improve safety and reduce CO2 emissions from the operation,” said Gustavo Pimenta, CEO of Vale.
Capanema will expand Vale’s natural moisture production. This type of operation, also known as dry processing, already accounts for more than 70% of the company’s iron ore production in Brazil. The method has fewer production stages, with less environmental impact, and eliminates the need for water in the processing, thus avoiding the generation of tailings.
Investments were made to reactivate and restart the Capanema mine. A long-distance conveyor belt system was also installed to transport the iron ore produced at Capanema to Timbopeba, in the municipality of Ouro Preto. The conveyor belt was installed on the company’s premises, linking the units and reducing truck traffic in the region. Adjustments were also made to the product stocking and loading yard at the Timbopeba rail terminal to transport the production via the Vitória-Minas Railway (EFVM) to the Port of Tubarão, in the state of Espírito Santo.
Approximately 40 contractor companies and more than 6,000 people worked at the peak of construction, with priority given to local workers. Vale also sponsored eight professional training courses for the communities near the project.
Innovation is also present at the Capanema Project. The unit’s entire fleet of haul trucks will be autonomous, promoting greater safety and efficiency in operations. The automation of processes, as well as the integration of the Mariana Complex mines by conveyor belt, will reduce emissions by 160 t of CO2e per year, equivalent to the annual emissions of 127 compact cars.
Vale has autonomous haulage experience, including with both Komatsu’s FrontRunner AHS at Carajas on Komatsu 930E trucks and with Caterpillar Command for hauling at Brucutu on Cat 793F trucks.
The project is an important step towards achieving Vale’s iron ore production guidance of 340-360 Mt in 2026, and will increase the flexibility of the company’s operations and product portfolio.
