Vale

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Brazilian multinational mining and logistics company and a leading global producer of iron ore and nickel.

Last updated October 25, 2026

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Overview

Vale S.A. is a Brazilian multinational metals and mining company headquartered in Rio de Janeiro. Founded by the Brazilian federal government in 1942 as Companhia Vale do Rio Doce, the company was created to develop Brazil’s mineral resources and build the infrastructure needed to move them to export markets. It began with a close connection to the Vitória–Minas railway and the iron ore deposits of Minas Gerais, later expanding into an integrated system of mines, railways, ports, shipping and energy assets. Iron ore remains Vale’s core business and the company is widely described as the world’s largest iron ore producer. Its Brazilian operations include major mining complexes in Minas Gerais and Pará, including the Carajás and Serra Sul/S11D systems. Vale produces and sells iron ore fines, pellets and other products used primarily by steelmakers. Nickel is another strategic pillar: the company operates nickel assets in Brazil, Canada, Indonesia and New Caledonia and supplies nickel used in stainless steel and battery-related applications. Other historical and current commodities have included copper, manganese, ferroalloys, coal, cobalt, bauxite, kaolin, potash and phosphate and nitrogen fertilizer products. A distinctive feature of Vale is the scale of its logistics network. Its rail concessions and associated infrastructure connect inland mines with export terminals, while ports such as Tubarão and Ponta da Madeira handle large volumes of bulk commodities. The company has also operated or invested in maritime transportation, distribution terminals and power generation. This integrated model gives Vale control over much of the chain between extraction and delivery, while also making the company a major infrastructure operator in Brazil. Vale was privatized in 1997, when the Brazilian government sold a controlling interest. During the following decade it pursued an international expansion strategy, including the acquisition of Canadian nickel producer Inco in 2006. It subsequently reorganized its portfolio, selling or reducing exposure to aluminum, steel, pulp, fertilizer and some coal assets so that mining and logistics became more central to the business. In 2007, the company adopted the simplified global name Vale, replacing the CVRD identity. The company’s reputation and governance have been heavily affected by two catastrophic tailings-dam failures in Brazil. The 2015 Mariana disaster, involving the Fundão dam operated by Samarco, and the 2019 Brumadinho disaster, involving the Córrego do Feijão mine, caused extensive loss of life, environmental damage and legal and regulatory consequences. Brumadinho led to the suspension or loss of operating permissions for several dams and a severe market reaction. Vale has since faced remediation, compensation, dam decharacterization and safety obligations while continuing to present itself as a supplier of lower-carbon materials needed for infrastructure and the energy transition. Today Vale’s business is centered on iron ore, nickel, copper and logistics, with operations and commercial relationships spanning multiple continents. Its strategic positioning combines scale, high-grade mineral resources, integrated transportation infrastructure and efforts to reduce operational emissions. The company remains listed in Brazil and internationally and is one of the most significant publicly traded mining groups associated with Brazil.

Products and positioning

An integrated, globally oriented mining and logistics company focused on iron ore, nickel and other base metals, with increasing emphasis on safety, decarbonization and materials associated with electrification.

Product categories. Iron ore · Iron-ore pellets · Nickel · Copper · Manganese ore and alloys · Metallurgical coal · Mining and bulk-logistics services · Iron ore pellets · Manganese and ferroalloys · Coal · Cobalt · Bauxite and alumina-related products · Potash and phosphate products

Controversies

2021
Vale reaches settlement over Brumadinho dam collapse
Vale reached a settlement agreement with Brazilian authorities over the Brumadinho dam collapse, which killed 270 people. Vale agreed to pay 37.7 billion reais, including cash payments to affected people and investments in environmental projects.
Source
2020
Minas Gerais authorities seek asset freeze and damages from Vale
In connection with the Brumadinho dam disaster, Minas Gerais state and federal prosecutors sought a court order to freeze 26.7 billion reais in Vale assets and sought 28 billion reais in collective damages. According to the report, Vale had not been formally notified of this latest request. The event concerns the prosecutors' requests and the reported status of notification; no further outcomes or allegations are stated.
Source

2026-10-29
Vale announces quarterly earnings results[3]Vale公布季度业绩themarketsdaily.com
Reported: 2026-10-31
Vale announced its quarterly earnings results, reporting earnings per share of $0.29, $0.09 below analysts’ consensus estimate of $0.38.
2021-12-23
Mundoro and Vale form U.S. copper exploration alliance[4]Mundoro与Vale建立美国铜矿勘探合作mining.com
Reported: 2021-12-23
Mundoro Capital and Vale’s Canadian subsidiary entered a two-year generative alliance to explore for copper projects in Arizona and New Mexico. They also signed an agreement to explore an undisclosed copper property in Arizona.
2021-12-23
Vale agrees to sell Moatize mine and Nacala Logistics Corridor[5]Vale同意出售莫阿蒂泽煤矿及纳卡拉物流走廊shippingherald.com
Reported: 2021-12-23
Vale entered into a binding agreement with Vulcan to sell the Moatize coal mine and the Nacala Logistics Corridor for total proceeds of US$270 million, plus a 10-year royalty agreement. The transaction is subject to customary conditions, including approvals from Mozambique’s Ministry of Mineral Resources and Energy and the Government of Mozambique.
2021-12-13
Nucor agrees to acquire majority ownership of California Steel Industries[6]Nucor 达成收购 California Steel Industries 多数股权的协议prnewswire.com
Reported: 2021-12-13
Nucor announced agreements to acquire a majority ownership position in California Steel Industries by purchasing a 50% equity interest from a Vale subsidiary and a 1% stake from JFE Steel. The companies said the transaction was subject to regulatory approvals, and the resulting company would be a joint venture between Nucor and JFE.
2021-11-11
Vale wins Wind Propulsion Innovation Award[7]Vale荣获风力推进创新奖hellenicshippingnews.com
Vale won the Wind Propulsion Innovation Award for its project to create the world's first large ore carrier equipped with rotor sails. The award recognized companies encouraging adoption of wind propulsion technology through prototypes or commercial use.
Unconfirmed
XCMG and Valeo sign cooperation memorandum[8]徐工与淡水河谷签署合作备忘录news.21-sun.com
XCMG and Valeo signed a memorandum of cooperation. XCMG said it would establish a dedicated team to strengthen cooperation and coordination between the parties.
2021-09-09
Vale announces green briquette[9]Vale宣布推出绿色压块riotimesonline.com
Reported: 2021-09-10
Vale announced a new iron ore product called green briquette, which the article says can reduce greenhouse gas emissions from steel production by up to 10%.
2021-09-09
Vale announces investment in green briquette production[9]Vale宣布推出绿色压块riotimesonline.com
Reported: 2021-09-10
Vale announced a US$185 million investment to upgrade two pellet plants at Tubarão and build a new plant in Vargem Grande, all intended to produce green briquettes. Operations were expected to begin in 2023, with estimated initial annual production of 7 million tons.
2021-08-31
Komatsu and Vale plan underground mining equipment trials[10]小松与淡水河谷计划开展地下采矿设备试验canadianminingjournal.com
Reported: 2021-08-31
Komatsu and Vale said they would begin trials of Komatsu’s MC51 machine and DynaCut technology at Vale’s Garson nickel-copper mine in Sudbury, Canada.
Unconfirmed
Sandstorm purchases Vale royalty units[11]Sandstorm购买Vale特许权使用费份额prnewswire.com
Reported: 2021-06-29
Sandstorm purchased 9.3 million units of Vale's participating royalties for a net purchase price of US$108 million.

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Overview

Products and positioning

Controversies

Recent events

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