Vale(US:VALE) Zhong Guo Xin Wen Wang·2025-09-05 13:46Core Viewpoint - Vale has restarted the Capanema mine in Brazil after 22 years, planning to invest 67 billion reais (approximately 12.27 billion USD) by 2030 to enhance green mining technologies and expand production capacity [2][4]. Investment and Production Capacity - The Capanema mine is expected to increase Vale's annual production capacity by approximately 15 million tons, contributing to the goal of reaching a production capacity of 340 to 360 million tons by 2026 [4]. - Vale has already invested 5.2 billion reais in modernizing the mine, with construction taking five years and peak employment reaching around 6,000 workers [4][5]. Technological Advancements - The mine utilizes natural moisture separation technology, eliminating the need for water and the generation of tailings, thus reducing reliance on tailings dams [4]. - Vale has implemented five autonomous mining trucks and is reprocessing historical waste piles [4]. Economic Impact - The Capanema mine is projected to generate 440 million reais in royalties and create approximately 3 billion reais in salaries for 60,000 professionals [4]. - In 2023, Vale's operations accounted for 3.5% of Minas Gerais' GDP [5]. Environmental Initiatives - Future investments will focus on increasing the scale of tailings filtration and dry stacking, aiming to reduce the use of tailings dams from 30% to 20% [7]. - Vale is actively dismantling upstream dams, with eight out of thirteen currently undergoing removal, and all are under constant monitoring [7]. Circular Mining and By-product Development - Since 2020, Vale has been promoting circular mining in Minas Gerais, producing 9 million tons of iron ore in the first half of 2025, a 14% increase year-on-year [7]. - The company has achieved significant results in by-product development, with sustainable sand sales exceeding 3 million tons over two years [7].