He didn’t present particular projections for a way a lot iron ore might be produced from tailings and waste by 2030, however the anticipated improve in Vale’s total manufacturing implies the quantity will doubtless soar in coming years.
The agency, one of many world’s largest iron ore producers, on Wednesday revised its 2024 outlook upwards and now expects to supply as much as 330 million tons this yr. From 2030 onwards, it sees annual output of greater than 360 million tons.
“This program goals to reuse waste that’s already in our dams,” Bittar mentioned on the sidelines of a mining convention. “It is a actuality and it’ll come very strongly (for the business), so we anticipated it and designed this program.”
Vale’s initiative to scale back its tailing volumes gained floor after the deadly collapse of two dams in Mariana and Brumadinho in 2015 and 2019, respectively, which collectively killed a whole bunch and brought about extreme environmental damages.
A part of Vale’s tailings are saved in dams. For the reason that disasters, the agency has been working to eradicate all its upstream dams, that are seen as riskier.
Final yr alone, Vale generated 48.5 million tons of iron ore tailings.
(By Marta Nogueira; Enhancing by Elaine Hardcastle)