According to a Reuters report cited by Mining Weekly, Brazilian miner Vale announced on Tuesday that its iron ore production increased to 336.1 million mt in 2025, hitting the highest level since 2018 and surpassing the output of its rival Rio Tinto in the Pilbara region.
Vale's iron ore production in 2025 rose by 2.6% compared to 2024, which was largely in line with the forecast of 335 million mt made last December. In the fourth quarter of 2025, the company's iron ore production reached 90.4 million mt, up 6%.
Analysts stated that Vale's iron ore production, along with its copper and nickel output, met expectations. Citi and RBC raised their estimates for Vale's core profit in the fourth quarter by 2% and 7% respectively, with the data set to be released in February.
Comparison with Rio Tinto
In 2019, a tailings dam collapse at Vale's facility in Brumadinho, Brazil, resulted in over 250 deaths, leading the company's projects to undergo safety reviews and causing it to lose its position as the world's largest iron ore producer to Rio Tinto.
However, Vale has been steadily increasing production in recent years and achieved its highest output since 2018 in 2025. CEO Gustavo Pimenta stated that the company aims to reclaim its status as the global top iron ore producer.
In the last week of 2025, Rio Tinto announced that its iron ore production in the Pilbara reached 327.3 million mt. When combined with its output from Canada, the total production reached 336.6 million mt, slightly exceeding that of Vale. In 2026, additional production from Guinea is expected to help Rio Tinto maintain this position.
2018 was the last year Vale outperformed Rio Tinto's Pilbara production, with the Brazilian company producing 384.6 million mt of iron ore that year, compared to Rio Tinto's 337.8 million mt from the Pilbara.
Vale confirmed that its iron ore production for this year is expected to be between 335 million mt and 345 million mt.
Vale noted in its report that the strong performance of the Brucutu mine, along with contributions from the Capanema and VGR1 projects, supported its quarterly production.
Vale reported that its iron ore sales in 2025 totaled 314.4 million mt, a 2.5% increase from 2024. In the third and fourth quarters, shipments reached 84.9 million mt, up 4.5%.
Copper production also hit a seven-year high
In 2025, Vale's copper production rose by nearly 10% to 382,400 mt, also reaching the highest level since 2018. This figure exceeded most recent forecasts (370,000 mt).
Vale aims to double its copper production by 2035. In the previous Q4, its primary copper mine in Brazil, Salobo, achieved a record high in production.
In 2025, the company's nickel production reached 177,200 mt, the highest level since 2022, representing an increase of nearly 11%. This also exceeded the company's projected output of 175,000 mt.
