Vale Develops Sustainable Sand Produced From Iron Ore Tailings

Written by Valdemar Medeiros

Published on 19/06/2022 at 09:22

Areia sustentável da vale reduzirá rejeitos – imagem: Divulgação

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Vale Is Developing A New Sustainable Sand That Can Be Produced From Iron Ore Tailings. The Company Has Already Invested R$ 50 Million In The Development Of The Product.

After years of research, most of the tailings from Vale’s iron ore operations will receive a new destination. From discarded materials, the company has created another product: sustainable sand. Each ton produced also means one ton less of tailings in the dams, and this is precisely Vale’s purpose. Reducing the need for dams is one of the pillars of the principle of ensuring no recurrence of accidents.

Vale Invests R$ 50 Million For The Production Of Sustainable Sand

Since 2014, the company has been dedicated to researching uses for the recycling of tailings in the country and, to this end, has made investments totaling R$ 50 million to develop non-toxic sand with quality certified by studies from specialized laboratories and universities.

According to André Vilhena, Vale’s New Business Manager, the main focus of the activity is the sustainability of the company’s operations in iron ore, reducing environmental liabilities, as well as promoting employment and income through new businesses. To produce sustainable sand, the tailings that would be discarded in dams undergo several stages of concentration, filtration, and classification.

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More Than 250 Thousand Tons Have Already Been Processed

As the tailings are primarily composed of silica, the main component of sand, and low iron content, the result is a sand quality suitable for use in the construction market. Just last year, approximately 250 thousand tons were processed and allocated for sale and donation, with applications in concrete, precast items, mortar, artifacts, cement, and road paving.

The estimate is to allocate one million tons in 2022 and reach two million tons in 2023. Recycling this material decreases disposal in dams and aligns with the company’s efforts to prevent breaches like the one in Brumadinho. According to Rogério Nogueira, Director of Marketing for Ferrous at Vale, the company is preparing to further scale the allocation of sustainable sand starting in 2023.

To achieve this, the company has a team of professionals focused on this new business and is adjusting its operations to meet market demands. The benefits continue: in addition to reducing tailings production and dependence on dams, the product is a sustainable solution for a material that suffers from predatory extraction.

R$ 7.1 Million Has Already Been Invested In Sustainable Sand In Specific Niches

Currently, Vale’s production takes place at the Brucutu Mine in São Gonçalo do Rio Abaixo (MG), and other mines belonging to the company are in the process of mining and environmental regularization for the production of the input.

In addition to utilizing the existing infrastructure, Vale also has the already developed road network to transport the sand to markets in Espírito Santo, Minas Gerais, the Federal District, and São Paulo.

Three application niches for the sand were prioritized after technical and market studies: paving, cement, and precast or concrete.

Only in research and innovation for use in road pavements, more than R$ 7.1 million has already been invested.

Vale Develops Sustainable Sand Produced From Iron Ore Tailings

Vale Is Developing A New Sustainable Sand That Can Be Produced From Iron Ore Tailings. The Company Has Already Invested R$ 50 Million In The Development Of The Product.

Vale Invests R$ 50 Million For The Production Of Sustainable Sand

More Than 250 Thousand Tons Have Already Been Processed

R$ 7.1 Million Has Already Been Invested In Sustainable Sand In Specific Niches

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Vale Develops Sustainable Sand Produced From Iron Ore Tailings

Vale Is Developing A New Sustainable Sand That Can Be Produced From Iron Ore Tailings. The Company Has Already Invested R$ 50 Million In The Development Of The Product.

Vale Invests R$ 50 Million For The Production Of Sustainable Sand

More Than 250 Thousand Tons Have Already Been Processed

R$ 7.1 Million Has Already Been Invested In Sustainable Sand In Specific Niches

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He transformed an abandoned plastic water tank into an underground house in the “hobbit hole” style, using only repurposed pallet wood, without heavy machinery or expensive labor.

China transforms desert-devastated area into the world’s largest artificial forest, planting trees for 60 years, blocking sand that reached Beijing, and creating a “green lung” of 92,000 hectares in a region once considered lost.

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The river rose 15 meters overnight and devastated a village in Vietnam in 2025, and Japan responded with dams that hold back mud and stones, training 15,000 people for evacuation, and a sewage station for 1 million residents.

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