One of the things that makes Vale a competitive mining company is operating good railroads. In Brazil, where our biggest mining systems are, we operate about 2,000 kilometres of railroad network, and have agreements in place to use lines in African countries and in Argentina.
Through VLI - Valor Logística Integrada – we also provide logistics services to third parties. In addition, we operate long-distance passenger trains on two important stretches in the country.
To enhance such competitiveness and sustain expansion of our operations, we are developing projects to increase railroad capacity.
Read more about our main railroads and expansion projects:
Projects
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Vitória – Minas Railroad
Country: Brazil
Extension: 905 kilometres
Primary points linked: Iron ore operations from the interior of Minas Gerais state to Tubarão Port, Espírito Santo state
Cargos transported: Vale iron ore and general cargo for third parties (coal and agricultural products)
Operates passenger train service used annually by 1 million people
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Carajás Railroad
Country: Brazil
Extension: 892 kilometres
Primary points linked: Mines of Carajás, Pará state, to Ponta da Madeira Sea Terminal, Maranhão state
Cargos transported: Iron ore, pig-iron, manganese, copper, fuels and coal
Operates passenger train service used annually by 350 thousand people
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Duplication of Carajás Railroad
Country: Brazil
Description: This project is set to increase transportation and distribution capacity from Carajás mines, Pará state, from 150 to 230 metric tonnes per year (mtpy). To achieve this, Vale will build extra 570 kilometres of the Carajás Railroad by the existing line, purchase additional locomotives, cars, and expand car dumpers, stockyards and piers at the Ponto da Madeira Maritime Terminal.
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Nacala Corridor
Country: Mozambique
Description: The goal of this project is linking the Moatize coal mine to Nacala-à-Velha, where Vale built a deep-water sea port, renewed 682 kilometres of existing railroads and also built a new 230- kilometre section. The corridor crosses the south of Malawi, which borders Mozambique.