A new chapter for mining in Minas Gerais

Vale has made a press release informing that it celebrated an important milestone: the reopening of the Capanema mine in Ouro Preto (MG), after 22 years of inactivity. More than just the return of operations, this marks the beginning of a new era of mining, one that is safer, more sustainable, and driven by innovation.

Rogério Nogueira has stated: “These projects will offer greater safety in the production of the high-quality portfolio, which requires ore concentration stages, especially high-grade pellet feed, essential for direct reduction steelmaking routes with lower greenhouse gas emissions.”  

Goals

With R$ 67 billion in investments planned through 2030, Vale is reshaping its presence in Minas Gerais. The focus is clear:
1. Reducing reliance on tailings dams through dry processing and filtering technologies
2. Lowering carbon emissions and expanding circular mining practices
3. Applying automation and reprocessing technologies to optimize resources and reduce waste

Future decarbinisation

Capanema is the perfect example of this transformation. The mine will operate with natural moisture processing, meaning no tailings and no need for dams, while adding 15 Mtpa of iron ore to Vale’s production. It also integrates cutting-edge solutions like autonomous trucks and ore recovery from historical waste piles, combining efficiency with environmental responsibility.

The reopening represents a R$ 5.2 billion investment, five years of construction, and the direct involvement of over 6,000 workers, with a strong emphasis on local hiring. Today, the operation employs 800 people and contributes to Vale’s long-term production guidance of 340–360 Mtpa by 2026.
Vale’s broader investments in Minas will help reduce the use of dams from 30% to 20%, accelerate decarbonization in the steel value chain, and expand circular economy initiatives like Sustainable Sand and tailings-to-construction materials.

As Gustavo Pimenta, Vale’s CEO, highlighted during the inauguration: “Capanema exemplifies the new phase of mining in Minas Gerais and reinforces our commitment to a more responsible production process, minimally invasive and with technology and innovation applied to better utilize mineral resources and support decarbonization initiatives.”

Rafael Bittar has added: “We continue to advance in the management of our geotechnical structures, improving controls and technical studies and developing cutting-edge technology in partnership with our suppliers to eliminate our upstream dams, with an absolute focus on the safety of our employees, neighboring communities, and environmental protection.”

For Minas Gerais, this means not just jobs and royalties, but a future where mining and sustainability go hand in hand.