Overview
Stage | Production |
Mine Type | Open Pit |
Commodities |
|
Mining Method |
|
Production Start | ...  |
Mine Life | 2043 |
Paraopeba integrated operation includes João Pereira and Segredo, Mar Azul and Capão Xavier mines, and three major beneficiation plants. |
Source:
p. 43
Company | Interest | Ownership |
Vale S.A.
(operator)
|
100 %
|
Indirect
|
Contractors
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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 (Fig. 1). 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.
Basement crystalline rocks include a gneiss/migmatite complex and two generations of ........

Summary:
Paraopeba integrated operation is located at Iron Quadrangle, State of Minas Gerais in Brazil and includes João Pereira and Segredo, Mar Azul and Capão Xavier mines.
Conventional open pit truck and shovel method is utilizing for ore extraction. The ratio of itabirite ore is high 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 our Northern System.
Source:
Summary:

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Production:
Commodity | Units | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 |
Iron Ore
|
kt
| ......  | ......  | ......  | ......  | 27,300 | 26,300 | 26,400 |
All production numbers are expressed as concentrate.
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Reserves at December 31, 2022:
Category | Tonnage | Commodity | Grade |
Proven
|
113 Mt
|
Iron
|
57.3 %
|
Probable
|
211.9 Mt
|
Iron
|
57.6 %
|
Proven & Probable
|
325 Mt
|
Iron
|
57.5 %
|
Measured
|
1,109 Mt
|
Iron
|
45.4 %
|
Indicated
|
1,450 Mt
|
Iron
|
40.8 %
|
Measured & Indicated
|
2,559 Mt
|
Iron
|
42.8 %
|
Inferred
|
1,968 Mt
|
Iron
|
38.5 %
|
Corporate Filings & Presentations:
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