Brazil’s miner Vale has resumed the Capanema iron ore project in Minas Gerais. The mine had been idle for 22 years, and the reopening cost an investment of about R$5.2 billion.

Capanema, the centerpiece of Vale's transformation, will utilize natural moisture, eliminating the need for water during mineral processing, and no tailings will be generated, eliminating the need for a tailings dam. The new model also includes five autonomous off-road trucks and recycling solutions, such as reprocessing iron ore from old waste dumps.

The restart will increase Vale's iron ore production by about 15 million tons annually, contributing to its production targets of 325-335 million tons by 2025 and 340-360 million tons by 2026.

Vale has pledged a total investment of R$67 billion by 2030. The investment will involve more responsible production techniques, minimize invasiveness, and apply technology and innovation to better utilize mineral resources and support decarbonization initiatives.