Iron Ore and pellets

Vale’s iron ore production achieved a record for a second quarter of 91.8 Mt in 2Q17, 5.6 Mt higher than in 1Q17. Factors like the better operational performance in the Northern System and the weather-related seasonality can explain the good results. Production was 5.0 Mt higher than in 2Q16 due to the S11D ramp-up in the Northern System and the ramp-up of new beneficiation and crushing facilities in the Southeastern System.

Vale’s pellet production reached 12.2 Mt in 2Q17, 1.7% lower than in 1Q17 due to scheduled maintenance stoppages in one line of the Oman pellet plant. The result was 21.5% higher than in 2Q16 mainly due to the maintenance stoppages in 2Q16 and the resumption of the Fabrica plant in July 2016.

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Nickel

Production of nickel totaled 66,000 t in 2Q17, 7.7% lower than in 1Q17 and 16.0% lower than in 2Q16, mainly due to the rebuilding of furnace #2 in preparation for the transitioning to a single furnace operation in Sudbury, and the scheduled maintenance shutdown in Sudbury.

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Coal

Coal production achieved a record production for a quarter, with 3.0 Mt in 2Q17. The production came exclusively from the Moatize mine in Mozambique. Total coal production was 24.8% and 101.8% higher than in 1Q17 and 2Q16, respectively, with two thirds of total production being of metallurgical coal.

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Copper

Copper production reached 100,800 t in 2Q17, being 6.2% and 4.6% lower than in 1Q17 and 2Q16, respectively. The lower production in Sudbury as a result of a scheduled maintenance shutdown in the surface plants and the mines can explain the decrease.

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