Vale's 2025 Key Metals Production Surpasses Guidance

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Written by Amir Richani for IIR News Intelligence (Sugar Land Texas)

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Summary

Vale's iron ore, copper and nickel production surpassed last year's guidance, with even higher volumes expected in 2026. However, pellet production was impacted, as input was redirected for sale due to market conditions.

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Vale (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) exceeded its 2025 production forecasts, achieving its highest copper and iron ore output since 2018 and its strongest nickel production since 2022.

The Brazilian miner's iron ore production during Q4 reached 90.4 million tons (Mt), about 6% higher year-on-year, while overall production in 2025 rose to 336 Mt, up 2.6% from 2024. These results surpassed the upper end of its production guidance set at 335 Mt.

As a result of these robust outputs, with its 2025 volumes, Vale surpassed Rio Tinto's (London, England) Pilbara production by about 8.8 Mt.

This achievement was driven by operations at its Brazil S11D mine, which reached a record output of 86 Mt in 2025. These results helped offset some of the losses at its Serra Norte and Serra Leste assets, which accounted for 84.1 Mt of output in 2025.

Turning to Vale's southeastern system, also in Brazil and composed of Itabira, Minas Centrais, and Mariana, this region reached volumes of 83.7 Mt in 2025, up 7.3% from last year. This growth was supported by the Capanema ramp-up, which was reinaugurated in 2025 and is expected to reach full capacity by Q2 this year.

In addition, the company's southern system volumes were 5.7% higher than last year at 50.9 Mt. This increase was due to the Vargem Grande Complex ramp-up and better performance from the Paraopeba complex during Q4.

Despite strong iron ore performance, the company's pellet segment recorded a 15% year-on-year decline to 31.3 Mt, as it redirected input from the pellet plants to iron ore sales. The company also reported that the São Luís pellet plant remained in maintenance during Q4.

Looking ahead, iron ore production guidance for this year is 335-345 Mt.

On its copper segment, Vale produced 108,100 tons of copper in Q4, up 6.2% from the same period last year. Throughout 2025, the company recorded volumes of 382,300 tons, 9.8% higher than in 2024 and surpassing last year's guidance of 340,000-370,000 tons.

These copper results were achieved thanks to a solid performance from the Salobo mine in Brazil, which had a record output of 62,900 tons in Q4. The Sudbury mine in Canada, for its part, also recorded its highest yearly output at 63,800 tons or 8.9% more than last year.

However, only Vale's Thompson mine in Canada had lower year-on-year outputs. For 2026, the mining company expects to produce between 350,000 and 380,000 tons of copper.

Finally, nickel production reached 46,200 tons during Q4, 1.5% higher than 2024, while full-year volumes reached 177,200, up 10.8% from 2024 and surpassing the 160,000-175,000 tons forecast in the guidance set for 2025.

Despite lower volumes from the Sudbury and Thompson mines in Canada during Q4, strong performance came from the Onca Puma mine, where the second furnace reached full capacity by November. This allowed the asset to end Q4 with its highest quarterly production ever at 10,000 tons, 108.3% higher than in Q4 last year.

For 2026, Vale expects to produce between 175,000 and 200,000 tons of nickel.

Subscribers to Industrial Info's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) Metals & Minerals Plant Database can click here for the profiles of the assets discussed in this article.

Key Takeaways

• Vale produced 336 Mt of iron ore in 2025, surpassing Rio Tinto's Pilbara production of 327.3 Mt.
• Copper volumes reached 382,000 tons in 2025.
• Nickel production totaled 177,200 tons in 2025 as Onca Puma reached its strongest output in Q4.

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About Industrial Info Resources
Industrial Info Resources (IIR) is the leading provider of industrial market intelligence. Since 1983, IIR has provided comprehensive research, news and analysis on the industrial process, manufacturing and energy related industries. IIR's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) helps companies identify and pursue trends across multiple markets with access to real, qualified and validated plant and project opportunities. Across the world, IIR is tracking over 250,000 current and future projects worth $30.2 Trillion (USD).