Vale’s Iron Ore Output Rises 3% to 69.68M Tons in Q1 in Commodity News 18/04/2026 Vale’s Production and Sales report for 1Q26 is now available. Vale’s performance in 1Q was marked by another quarter of strong production and sales, with multiple assets reaching their highest production levels. In iron ore, the ramp-up of new assets supported consistent production growth, while sales reached the highest level for a first-quarter since 2018. In copper and nickel, production reached double-digit growth, with copper recording its best first-quarter output since 2017 and nickel since 2020. Iron ore production totaled 69.7 Mt, 3% (2.0 Mt) higher y/y, supported by record output at S11D and Brucutu, as well as the continued ramp-up of the Capanema and VGR1 projects. Pellet production reached 8.2 Mt, increasing 14% (1.0 Mt) y/y, driven by improved performance at the Tubarão pelletizing plants. Iron ore sales increased by 4% (2.6 Mt) y/y, totaling 68.7 Mt, in line with higher production volumes. Copper production totaled 102.3 kt, 13% (11.4 kt) higher y/y, driven by record output at Salobo and Sossego as well as a solid performance at Voisey’s Bay polymetallic mines. Nickel production totaled 49.3 kt, 12% (5.4 kt) higher y/y, driven by the full-quarter operation of Onça Puma’s 2nd furnace and stable operations at Voisey’s Bay underground mines, which supported a first-quarter production record at the Long Harbour refinery. Northern System: production decreased by 1.2 Mt y/y, totaling 33.2 Mt in the quarter. The decline reflects lower but expected run-of-mine availability at Serra Norte, partly offset by the positive effects of product portfolio optimization within the mine plan. S11D reached a new first-quarter production record of 19.9 Mt (+0.5 Mt y/ y), driven by the ongoing asset reliability initiatives and increased utilization of mobile equipment. Southeastern System: production increased by 3.1 Mt y/y, totaling 19.2 Mt in the quarter, despite higher rainfall levels and a five-day interruption in railway operations. The increase was driven by (i) the continued ramp-up of the Capanema project, which is expected to reach full capacity in Q2, (ii) stronger performance at Brucutu, reaching the highest first-quarter output since 2018, following the increased output of the fourth and fifth processing lines, and (iii) reduced maintenance downtime at the Itabira Complex. Southern System: production remained relatively stable, totaling 10.4 Mt in the quarter, despite higher-than-average rainfall, which mainly impacted the operational performance at the Paraopeba Complex, particularly at the Viga and Fábrica sites. This outcome was supported by the ramp-up of the VGR1 plant, which added incremental volumes to the Vargem Grande Complex. Pellets: output increased by 1.0 Mt y/y, totaling 8.2 Mt in the quarter, driven by higher production at the Tubarão pelletizing plants, reflecting greater pellet feed availability from Itabira. In mid-March, production at the Oman pellet plant was halted for planned annual maintenance, while construction activities in the Sohar concentration plant were also halted. Due to developments related to the conflicts in the Middle East, including logistical constraints, the Oman plants are expected to resume operations by the end of Q3. During this period, pellet feed originally allocated to Oman will be redirected to the Tubarão pellet plants and to fines sales, with the 2026 agglomerates production guidance remaining unchanged