• Data Access
  • Your Email  
  • Your Email  
Keep me signed in.
Forgot your password?
Close
  • Forgot Your Password?
  • Enter the email you signed up with and we'll email it to you.
  • Your Email  
Close
Back
MDO
Mining Data Solutions
  • Home
  • Database
  • Subscribe
  • Sign In
  • Sign In
Brazil
Southern System Operation (Paraopeba Complex, Vargem Grande Complex)

This page is not tailored to
devices with screen width under 750 px.
 Location:
14 km NW from Itabirito, Brazil

  Address:
Praia de Botafogo 186 – offices 701-1901 – Botafogo
Rio de Janeiro
Brazil
22250-145
Phone  ...  Subscription required
WebsiteWeb
Additional Resources for Suppliers & Investors
Drill results over 30 g/t Au
Stay on top of recent discoveries.
Search drill results by commodity and grade.
Largest mines in the Americas
Mining and mill throughput capaciites.
Full profiles of select mines and projects.
Deepest underground mines
Shaft depth and mill throughput data.
Full profiles of select mines and projects.
Heavy mobile equipment
HME type, model, size and quantity.
Full profiles of select mines and projects.
Permitting and construction projects
Projects at the permitting or construction stage. Full profiles of select projects.
Mines with remote camps
Camp size, mine location and contacts.
Full profiles of select mines and projects.
Mines & projects in Brazil
A list of country's mines and projects.
Full profiles of select mines and projects.
  • Overview
  • Owners
  • Geology
  • Mining
  • Processing
  • Production
  • Reserves
  • Personnel
  • Filings & News

Thank you for browsing through mine profiles compiled by the Mining Data Online team.

Would you like to subcribe or schedule a Demo?
  • Name:
     
  • Company:
     
  • Position:
     
  • Phone:
  • Email:
  • Message:

Overview

StageProduction
Mine TypeOpen Pit
Commodities
  • Iron Ore
Mining Method
  • Truck & Shovel / Loader
Production Start...
Mine Life2089
The Southern System consists of two mining complexes and two maritime terminals. Two major mining complexes: Vargem Grande (five mines and five major beneficiation plants) and Paraopeba (five mines and three major beneficiation plants). In 2019, the company reorganized Southern System to eliminate the Minas Itabirito complex and to consider the mines that composed this complex as part of the Vargem Grande and Paraopeba complexes.


Owners

Source: p. 45,49
CompanyInterestOwnership
Vale S.A. 100 % Indirect
Vale conducts iron ore business in Brazil primarily at the parent-company level, and through subsidiaries Mineracao Corumbaense Reunida S.A. (‘‘MCR’’) and Mineracoes Brasileiras Reunidas S.A. (‘‘MBR’’).

Vale interest in Southern System: Minas Itabirito - 100%, Vargem Grande - 100%, Paraopeba - 100%

Contractors

Subscription required - Subscription is required.


Deposit Type

  • Banded iron formation


Summary:

Vale's Southern System consists of iron deposits located in the Quadrilatero Femfero (Iron Quadrangle), in the south central part of the State of Minas Gerais.

Ore reserves with high ratios of itabirite ore relative to hematite ore type. Itabirite ore has iron grade of 35-60%.

The Quadrilátero Ferrífero (QF) comprises an area of about 7000 km2 and hosts one of the largest concentrations of lateritic iron-ore deposits in the world. The QF is located in central Minas Gerais state, southeastern region of Brazil (Dorr, 1965). The QF has a quadrangular shape due to the dome and basin structures of the Minas Supergroup. Most of the iron ore in the QF are hosted in the oxidized, metamorphosed and heterogeneously deformed Banded Iron Formations (BIFs) of the Cauê Formation, the so-called itabirites. The BIFs are altered sedimentary deposits with laminated rocks formed by alternating layers of silica and hematite magnetite, as well as carbonates and iron silicates.

The Quadrilátero Ferrífero is located at the southeastern border of the São Francisco Craton, southeastern Brazil. According to Alkmim and Marshak (1998) the most important lithostratigraphic units of the Quadrilátero Ferrífero are: (1) the Archean crystalline basement, (2) the Rio das Velhas Supergroup, (3) the Minas Supergroup, (4) the Post-Minas Intrusives and (5) the Itacolomi Group.

The main iron ore types in the Iron Quadrangle are:

Hematite: Hematite represents ........


Mining Methods

  • Truck & Shovel / Loader


Summary:

The Southern System are open-pit mining operations that are located at Iron Quadrangle, State of Minas Gerais in Brazil and include two mining complexes Vargem Grande and Paraopeba.

Vargem Grande complex includes Sapecado, Galinheiro, Tamanduá, Capitão do Mato, Abóboras mines and five major beneficiation plants.

Paraopeba complex includes João Pereira and Segredo, Mar Azul, Capão Xavier mines and three major beneficiation plants.

Ore extraction is conducted via open pit truck and shovel method. Mined ore has high ratios of itabirite ore relative to hematite ore type. Itabirite ore type has iron grade of 35-60%. Part of the ore is concentrated to achieve shipping grade and part is shipped and blended in Asia with the high-grade ore from Northern System.


Crushing and Grinding


Processing

Source: Subscription required

Summary:

- subscription is required.


Production:

CommodityUnits202120202019201820172016
Iron Ore kt  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required84,10086,40095,700
All production numbers are expressed as concentrate.
Subscription required - Subscription is required.


Reserves at December 31, 2021:

CategoryTonnage CommodityGrade
Proven 695.8 Mt Iron 49.2 %
Probable 2,935 Mt Iron 46.6 %
Proven & Probable 3,631 Mt Iron 47.1 %
Measured 2,456 Mt Iron 42.9 %
Indicated 3,324 Mt Iron 39.9 %
Measured & Indicated 5,780 Mt Iron 41.2 %
Inferred 4,116 Mt Iron 38 %



Heavy Mobile Equipment:

Mine Management:

Job TitleNameProfileRef. Date
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Jun 7, 2022
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Jun 7, 2022
Subscription required - Subscription is required.


Corporate Filings & Presentations:

DocumentYear
................................... Subscription required 2021
................................... Subscription required 2020
................................... Subscription required 2019
Form 20-F 2018
Form 20-F 2017
Form 20-F 2016
Form 20-F 2015
Form 20-F 2014
Other 2014
Other 2013
Technical Report 2009
Subscription required - Subscription is required.

Subscription required - Subscription is required.

Terms of Use Privacy Policy © 2017-2023 MDO Data Online Inc.