Vale announced Wednesday that it has received the necessary environmental license to build its Carajas iron ore (S11D) mine in the Amazonian region--the project will be Vale's biggest ever iron ore mine. The license was the first of a number of major hurdles Vale faces before beginning production. S11D is the largest project in Vale's history and also in the iron ore industry.
Located in the southern range of Carajás, in the state of Pará, Brazil, with an estimated capital expenditure of US$8.039 billion for the development of the mine and processing plant, the project has a nominal capacity of 90 million metric tons per year of iron ore with an average ferrous content of 66.48 percent and low concentration of impurities. Operations are expected to start in the second half of 2016.