London-based Vale Base Metals has begun operating a second nickel processing furnace (Furnace 2) at its Onça Puma Mining Complex in Pará, Brazil.

Completed on schedule and under budget, this successful start-up adds 15 kilotons of nickel production capacity to the operation, bringing its total annual production capacity to 40 ktpa. This makes Onça Puma the largest ferronickel operation in Brazil.

CEO Shaun Usmar said that the investment confirms the company’s commitment to Brazil and enhances its global competitiveness.

The expansion created 2,500 jobs for the construction phase and positioned the complex in the lower half of the global nickel cost curve. The start-up of Furnace 2 and the expansion of Voisey's Bay underground mining will support Vale Base Metals’ goal of reaching 210 kt-250 kt nickel production by 2030.