Brazil miner Samarco eyes regaining second-largest iron-ore pellet exporter spot in 2028
BELO HORIZONTE - Brazilian miner Samarco, a joint venture between Vale and BHP, expects to regain the position of world's second-largest exporter of iron-ore pellets starting in 2028, the firm's CEO Rodrigo Vilela said on Tuesday.
Samarco has fallen in the pellet exporters ranking, which is led by Vale, after halting some operations following the deadly collapse of its Fundao tailings dam in 2015.
Samarco expects to again reach full capacity - between 26-million and 27-million tons a year of iron-ore fines and pellets - in 2028, from about 60% of that amount currently, Vilela said
To implement the plan, Samarco expects to invest 13.8-billion reais ($2.7-billion), he added during a mining event in the Brazilian city of Belo Horizonte
Samarco's current focus is on reparations related to the dam collapse and on restoring output capacity, but it could seek to expand production capacity in the future, Vilela said
The firm expects to produce two-million tons of iron-ore fines from tailings by 2028, compared to 300 000 tons so far in 2026.
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