Vale more than doubled ore production from waste material in 2025

Brazilian mining company Vale said on Thursday it produced 26.3 million metric tons of iron ore in 2025 from materials previously classified as waste or tailings, more than double the 12.7 million tons produced this way a year earlier.

The volume exceeded the company’s initial forecast of some 20 million tons of iron ore from waste materials last year, Vale said.

Vale has been investing in circular mining, which has grown from a pilot project into an industrial-scale effort. Last year, the initiative cut waste disposal space by the equivalent of around 60 railcars loaded with iron ore and contributed to the company’s decarbonization targets, Vale said.

The initiative is part of Vale’s broader circular mining program, which aims to source 10% of its output from waste materials by 2030. The measures have gained momentum following deadly dam failures in Brazil in recent years.

Other highlights of Vale’s circular mining efforts include sand production from waste, which has surpassed 3 million tons since 2023, the company said.

(By Marta Nogueira and Oliver Griffin; Editing by Bill Berkrot)