Vale Surpasses Rio Tinto’s Pilbara Output as Iron Ore Production Hits Seven-Year High

BY COMFORT OGBONNA

Brazilian mining giant Vale reported a surge in iron ore production in 2025, reaching 336.1 million metric tons, marking the first time since 2018 that its output surpassed that of Rio Tinto’s Pilbara operations in Australia. The company’s production rose 2.6% from 2024, aligning with Vale’s December forecast of around 335 million tons. In the fourth quarter alone, output hit 90.4 million tons, up 6% year-on-year.

Analysts said the results, which also reflect Vale’s copper and nickel mining operations, exceeded expectations. Citi and RBC projected a 2% and 7% upside revision, respectively, for Vale’s fourth-quarter core profit, which is due to be released in February.

Vale lost its position as the world’s largest iron ore producer in 2019 following the collapse of a dam in Brumadinho, Brazil, which killed over 250 people and triggered a major safety review. Since then, the company has steadily scaled up production, and Chief Executive Gustavo Pimenta has stated the firm aims to reclaim its top spot in global iron ore output.

Rio Tinto last week reported 2025 iron ore production of 327.3 million tons from its Pilbara mines. Including Canadian operations, total iron ore output reached 336.6 million tons, slightly ahead of Vale, and is expected to remain ahead in 2026 with additional production from Guinea. For comparison, in 2018, Vale produced 384.6 million tons while Rio Tinto’s Pilbara operations produced 337.8 million tons.

Vale expects 2026 iron ore production to range between 335 million and 345 million tons. The company said the strong quarterly performance was driven by robust output at its Brucutu mining complex and ramp-ups at the Capanema and VGR1 projects, all located in Brazil.

Iron ore sales also increased, with total shipments rising 2.5% to 314.4 million tons in 2025. In the September-December quarter, shipments grew 4.5% to 84.9 million tons.

Vale’s copper production saw a nearly 10% increase last year, reaching approximately 382,400 tons, the highest level since 2018 and above the company’s most recent projection of 370,000 tons. The surge was largely driven by record output at the Salobo mining complex in Brazil, supporting Vale’s long-term goal of nearly doubling copper production by 2035.

Nickel production also rose sharply, with 177,200 tons produced in 2025, the highest since 2022 and an almost 11% increase over projections of 175,000 tons.

With strong gains across iron ore, copper, and nickel, Vale is positioning itself for sustained growth in the global mining sector, while gradually closing the gap with major competitors like Rio Tinto.