1Q21 Production Report

Business

1Q21 Production Report

Vale´s Production Report for the first quarter of 2021 (1Q21) was released on Monday, April 19th. Despite the additional challenges imposed by COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil, the company continues to progress on its Iron Ore stabilization plan, resuming the remaining halted capacity at Timbopeba site and Vargem Grande pellet plant.

On Base Metals, the sale of VNC operations was an important step on Vale’s commitment to transform the business, simplifying the operations flowsheet going forward and enabling a continuous focus on core assets. Vale also concluded in April the revamp of the two processing plant in Moatize, which is expected to produce sustainable results for the business.

The resumption plan advanced with the start-up of Vargem Grande’s tailings filtration plant, the first of four filtration plants in Minas Gerais. The second plant, located in Itabira, is expected to start operation by the end of 2021.

Coal business concluded its maintenance activities in April and is progressing with the commissioning of the new and revamped equipment. Mine and plant ramp-up is expected to be carried out in 2Q21 and should achieve a production run-rate of 15 Mtpy in 2H21.

Download 1Q21 production report

See highlights of some of our businesses:

Nickel

  • Production of finished nickel ex-VNC was 48.4 kt in 1Q21, 6.8% higher than 1Q20 and 4.7% lower than 4Q20.
  • Nickel sales volumes ex-VNC were 48.0 kt in 1Q21, 8.6% higher than 1Q20, mostly as a result of higher production into a recovering Market.
  • The increase compared to 1Q20 was a result of Onça Puma operating at steady rates and robust performance at the North Atlantic refineries, with Long Harbour reaching record production levels in the 1st quarter.
Find out more about our nickel activities

Copper

  • Copper production reached 76.5 kt in 1Q21, 19.0% lower than 1Q20 and 18.2% lower than 4Q20.
  • Sales volumes7 of copper were 71.2 kt in 1Q21, 22.4% lower than 1Q20 mostly as a result of lower production and an unplanned shipping reschedule.
  • Given the challenges in 1H21, we are currently expecting copper production around the lower end of the guidance for the year. Nevertheless, we acknowledge that the COVID-19 situation could cause further delays in scheduled plant maintenance.
Find out more about our copper activities

Iron Ore and pellets

  • Vale’s pellet production totalled 6.3 Mt in 1Q21, 9.2% lower than in 1Q20, as a result of lower pellet feed availability from Vale’s sites mainly from Itabira and Brucutu. Despite a weaker quarter, Vale expects to gradually increase production during 2021 with the higher availability of pellet feed from Timbopeba and Vargem Grande
  • Vale’s iron ore fines production1 totaled 68.0 Mt in 1Q21, 14.2% higher than in 1Q20, as Vale progressed on its operational stabilization and resumption plan
  • Sales volumes of iron ore fines and pellets totalled 65.6 Mt in 1Q21, up 11%y/y on stronger iron ore production, but partially offset by lower pellet-feed availability.
Find out more about our iron ore and pellet activities

Coal

  • Coal production totalled 1.1Mt in 1Q21, both a quarter-on-quarter and year-over-year decrease due to the production slowdown following the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • Coal business concluded its maintenance activities in April and is progressing with the commissioning of the new and revamped equipment.
  • Mine and plant ramp-up is expected to be carried out in 2Q21 and should achieve a production run-rate of 15 Mtpy in 2H21.
Find out more about our coal activities

1Q21 financial report

The 1Q21 financial report will be released on April 26th. After the report´s release, some of our key executives will participate in webcasts with investors to present the quarter’s results Click here to learn more about webcasts.