Vale inaugurates Capanema including five Caterpillar 789D autonomous trucks
Vale inaugurated the Capanema iron ore mine on September 4 in Ouro Preto (MG), during a ceremony attended by Governor Romeu Zema and other authorities. The resumption of operations marks the beginning of a new phase for Vale in the state, with investments totalling R$67 billion through 2030.
It says the resources will be applied to safer, more innovative, and sustainable production processes, prioritising the reduction in the use of tailings dams, lower carbon emissions, and the expansion of circular mining, supported by new technologies across the company’s five operational complexes in Minas Gerais.
Capanema will operate using natural moisture, without water in mineral processing and without generating tailings, eliminating the need for a dam. The new model also includes five autonomous off-road trucks and circularity solutions, such as the reprocessing of iron ore contained in an old waste pile. The mine will add approximately 15 Mt/y to Vale’s iron ore production, contributing to the company’s guidance of 340-360 Mt/y in 2026.
In relation to the trucks, Capanema began running successful trials with autonomous 194 t class Caterpillar 789D trucks earlier this year – the automated trucks utilise Caterpillar Command for hauling and are monitored from the control room at the Brucutu operation some 90 km away – Brucutu also has its own autonomous Caterpillar 793F autonomous truck fleet. Vale works closely with both Caterpillar and its major dealer in Brazil, Sotreq.
Around R$ 5.2 billion was invested in reactivating the unit, which had been inactive for 22 years, including modernisation of facilities and integration with other mines in the region to optimise processes and reduce environmental impacts. The construction lasted five years, involved around 40 companies and more than 6,000 workers at peak activity, with a focus on hiring local labour. The operation employs 800 people.
“Minas Gerais is at the center of Vale’s transformation. We have a long history of learning, deep cultural evolution, and above all, partnership with the people of Minas. We continue together on this journey, confident in our legacy for the sustainable development of the state. 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 utilise mineral resources and support decarbonisation initiatives,” says Gustavo Pimenta, Vale’s CEO.
The R$67 billion investment in Minas Gerais is part of Vale’s 2030 strategy, which aims to offer a more flexible iron ore portfolio, driven by improvements in operational performance. These investments are expected to generate around R$440 million in annual royalties and BRL3 billion in annual salaries for approximately 60,000 professionals, including direct and contracted workers.
Most of the investments will be directed toward solutions to expand tailings filtering and dry stacking, with the goal of reducing the use of dams in the company’s operations in the state from 30% to 20%.
“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. Minas Gerais is strategic in supplying this product, directly contributing to the decarbonisation of the steel industry,” explains Rogério Nogueira, Vale’s Executive Vice President of Commercial and Development.
There will be investments in modernising the company’s five operational complexes, as well as improvements in the management of geotechnical structures at the mines, including connectivity, fleet renewal, instrumentation, and monitoring – among other processes that ensure safety, sustainability, and innovation in iron ore production in the state.
Resources will also support the elimination of dams and dikes under the Upstream Structure Decharacterisation Program. Since 2019, about 60% of the program has been completed. Of the 13 remaining structures, eight are under works. All are inactive and monitored 24/7 by Vale’s Geotechnical Monitoring Centres.
“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. This is an essential step toward safer mining aligned with society’s expectations,” emphasises Rafael Bittar, Vale’s Executive Vice President of Technical Services.
The company has been intensifying circular mining practices in the state since 2020, with the reprocessing of iron ore from geotechnical structures, such as the waste piles at the Serrinha mine, and those undergoing decharacterisation, such as the Vargem Grande dam at the mine of the same name. Reuse eliminates risks associated with these structures and brings environmental benefits, such as reducing the area needed for material disposal.
In the first half of 2025, around 9 Mt were produced through these programs, a 14% increase compared to the same period in 2024. Last year, production from circular sources totaled 12.7 Mt, and the company has the potential to reach 10% of its total production from these sources by 2030. Minas Gerais accounts for about 80% of this volume.
Co-product initiatives are also highlights in the state, such as the production of Sustainable Sand – with over 3 Mt sold in the last two years – and the Block Factory in Itabirito, which transforms tailings into materials for civil construction, returning to the production chain materials that would previously have been discarded in dams and piles.
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