Brazil steelmaker Gerdau will increase its iron ore output by 116 percent at its Varzea do Lopes mine, in the city of Itabirito, Minas Gerais, media reports said.
A license to increase the production of the product was issued on Tuesday by Minas Gerais state environment council Copam. With the new permit, Gerdau could increase its output from 6 million mt to 13 million mt. In 2013, the mine had increased its output from 1.5 million mt to 6 million mt.
According to reports, Gerdau exported about 1.2 million mt of the product last year.