Aggregates Manager Digital Magazine
Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/103664
SPECIAL REPORT Different Continent, Same Goals A visit to a Brazilian iron ore mine underscores that operational goals and challenges are similar throughout the globe. by Therese Dunphy, Editor-in-Chief tdunphy@randallreilly.com 15A I n early November, I visited an iron ore mine near Belo Horizonte, Brazil, and saw just how similar mining operations around the world can be to one another. Although it was my first iron ore mine, many of the processes — including crushing, screening, and materials transportation — were similar to those I've seen in aggregate operations throughout the United States. The Iron Quandrangle The Capão Xavier iron ore mine is operated by Vale S/A, one of the world's largest mining companies with sites in 37 countries and more than 130,000 employees. The mine is part of the Paraopeba Complex, located on the east side of the state capital of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte. It is in a region known as the Iron Quadrangle, which is adjacent to Belo Horizonte, Santa Barbara, Mariana, and Congonhas do Campo. The area covers 1.85 million acres. In 2011, Capão Xavier produced 9.26-million short tons of iron ore, which comprised just 2.6 percent of the company's total iron ore production. Considered a "small" mine, the site began operation in 2004 with estimated reserves of 89.5 million AGGREGATES MANAGER January 2013 • DIGITAL EXCLUSIVE Liebherr_AGRM0113.indd 13 12/28/12 8:57 PM