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Vale Wants to Explore the Amazon to Meet the Growing Demand for Artificial Intelligence and Global Electrification. With a Goal of 700 Thousand Tons by 2035, Mining Advances.
The race for essential minerals for the energy transition and the advancement of artificial intelligence is driving billion-dollar investments in copper exploration around the world.
One of the giants in the sector, Vale Base Metals, a subsidiary of the Brazilian mining company Vale, is eyeing this scenario and is charting an ambitious plan to expand its production, mainly in the state of Pará.
The goal is to increase copper extraction to 700 thousand tons by 2035, a significant jump from the previous plan, which projected a production between 420 thousand and 500 thousand tons annually starting in 2030.
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To achieve this, Vale is betting on new mining projects in southeastern Pará, a strategic region for its operations in Brazil.
The High Demand for Copper and Its Relationship with Technology
The growing need for copper is directly linked to the migration of sectors based on fossil fuels to renewable energy sources.
With the electrification of industries and the accelerated growth of artificial intelligence, the demand for the metal is expected to skyrocket in the coming years.
According to Shaun Usmar, an executive at Vale Base Metals, “A lot of copper will be necessary to build the data centers that power the artificial intelligence revolution”.
He highlighted at an event held in Toronto that there are currently about 11,800 data centers worldwide, with more than 5,400 located in the United States.
The forecast is that by the end of the decade, that number will reach 10 thousand just in the U.S.
A Microsoft data center, for example, consumes about 27 tons of copper per megawatt-hour (MWh), potentially reaching 20 MWh of electricity.
The automotive sector is also driving demand. Electric vehicles use 2.5 times more copper than combustion-engine cars, causing the need for the metal in the sector to increase to 2.5 million tons by 2030.
The electricity sector, essential for energy distribution, will also be impacted, with a projected growth in global copper demand from 28 million tons currently to 37 million by 2031.
Brazil and the Untapped Potential of Copper
Despite being the largest source of copper for Vale, Brazil still has a discreet role in the global market, especially when compared to Chile, the world leader in metal production, with 5.3 million tons extracted annually.
In 2024, Brazil produced just over 300 thousand tons, but its reserves are estimated at 10 million tons. If explored efficiently, the country could become one of the main global suppliers.
“At Vale Base Metals, we believe Brazil has the potential to become a new major copper frontier,” Usmar stated.
According to him, Brazilian deposits have a high copper content and are located in easily accessible regions, close to the existing infrastructure of the mining company, including ports.
“We don’t have to deal with challenges like glaciers at 5,000 meters altitude, as in the Andes, or with limitations in infrastructure and water supply,” he added.
Expansion Projects and Environmental Challenges
Currently, Vale’s largest copper mine is Salobo, located in Marabá (PA).
In 2024, the mine produced about 200 thousand tons of copper, accounting for more than half of the mining company’s total production. The complex set a production record last year and is expected to grow even more in the coming years.
The expansion also includes the Paulo Afonso mine, projected to produce between 70 thousand and 100 thousand tons annually, although it is still in the study phase.
The Bacaba project, located near the Sossego mine, is the closest to becoming operational. In 2024, Sossego produced 65.4 thousand tons of copper in Canaã dos Carajás (PA).
The Bacaba is ready for execution and is only awaiting the environmental license from the government of Pará. It is expected to produce 60 thousand tons annually.
Another large-scale project is Cristalino, also located in Pará, with an expected production of between 70 thousand and 90 thousand tons annually for at least 22 years.
Together with other initiatives, these projects aim to reach the target of 700 thousand tons of copper annually established in Vale’s acceleration plan.
However, mining expansion in the Amazon region raises environmental concerns.
Residents near the Sossego complex have been complaining for years about the impacts of mining, including dust and noise pollution, which resulted in a temporary suspension of activities by the state administration in 2024.
Even with these challenges, Vale Base Metals remains determined to expand its production and consolidate Brazil as one of the main players in the copper market.
“Many of these projects have been discussed for 20 years, and now we have the opportunity to unlock this potential,” Usmar stated.
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