Vale Launches First Pilot Plant for Construction Products Using Mining Waste as Raw Material

Vale Inaugurates the Pico Block Factory, the First Pilot Plant for Civil Construction Products, Whose Raw Material is Initially Mining Waste.

The factory of the mining company Vale installed at the Pico Mine, located in the municipality of Itabirito, MG, aims to promote the circular economy in mining operations, according to the mining company. Right after the testing phase, the expectation is that, each year, about 30 thousand tons of mining waste will no longer be dumped in dams or piles, to be reused in over three million precast products of wide application in the civil construction industry.

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Vale’s Environmental Licensing Executive Manager Says This is the Company’s First Initiative to Reuse Mining Waste for the Civil Construction Industry

According to the Environmental Licensing Executive Manager, this is Vale’s first initiative in reusing mining waste for the civil construction industry. “In addition to making our operations safer and more sustainable, we want to promote the development of innovative solutions that create value for neighboring communities and society.” Said Rodrigo Dutra.

Innovation and Diversity

The block factory occupies exactly an area of 10,000 m² within the Pico Mine unit. “The plant was designed in modules to promote versatility in the development of various types of products for civil construction, such as transport infrastructure works, housing, and urbanization,” explains Laís Resende, one of the engineers responsible for Vale’s mining waste reutilization initiative.

In addition to being built based on occupational safety and health standards, the entire production system of the factory is automated, thus avoiding physical strain on the team when handling the pieces.