https://newsletter.en.creamermedia.com
Construction|Copper|Lifting|Mining|PROJECT|Stainless Steel|Steel|Underground|Operations
Construction|Copper|Lifting|Mining|PROJECT|Stainless Steel|Steel|Underground|Operations
construction|copper|lifting|mining|project|stainless-steel|steel|underground|operations

Vale Base Metals boosts nickel output with Onça Puma furnace start-up

Vale Base Metals CEO Shaun Usmar

Vale Base Metals CEO Shaun Usmar

1st October 2025

By: Mariaan Webb

Creamer Media Senior Deputy Editor Online

     

Font size: - +

Vale Base Metals (VBM) has started operating a second processing furnace at its Onça Puma mining complex in Brazil’s Pará state, lifting nameplate capacity to 40 000 t/y.

The Furnace 2 project, completed on schedule and nearly 13% under budget, adds 15 000 t/y of nickel capacity. It generated 2 500 jobs during construction and will support more than 1 800 permanent employees and contractors. No lost-time injuries were recorded during the three-year build.

“This investment and successful delivery of the project further demonstrates VBM's commitment to Pará and Brazil, while ensuring our world-class operations remain globally competitive,” said CEO Shaun Usmar.

“We recognise the importance of consistently delivering on our commitments as a foundational principle to support the large investments in our copper growth ambitions in Brazil planned over the coming decade.”

The expansion positions Onça Puma favourably on the global nickel cost curve and strengthens Brazil’s role as a strategic exporter of nickel to the stainless steel industry.

VBM remains on track to meet its 2025 guidance of 160 000 t to 175 000 t of nickel. The additional Onça Puma capacity, together with the ramp-up of underground production at Voisey’s Bay in Canada, is expected to push group output to between 210 000 t and 250 000 t by 2030.

Onça Puma, which began operations in 2011, is also a key driver of socioeconomic development in Pará, with contributions through employment, local procurement, tax revenue and direct investment.

Edited by Creamer Media Reporter

Comments

Showroom

Flameblock
Flameblock

FlameBlock is a proudly South African company that engineers, manufactures and supplies fire intumescent and retardant products to the fire...

VISIT SHOWROOM 
Avlock International
Avlock International

Avlock International is a leading manufacturer and distributor of Specialized Fastening Systems.

VISIT SHOWROOM 

Latest Multimedia

sponsored by

EV lease company Everlectric expands to the Western Cape
EV lease company Everlectric expands to the Western Cape
7th October 2025 By: Irma Venter

Option 1 (equivalent of R125 a month):

Receive a weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine
(print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
Receive daily email newsletters
Access to full search results
Access archive of magazine back copies
Access to Projects in Progress
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format

Option 2 (equivalent of R375 a month):

All benefits from Option 1
PLUS
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports, in PDF format, on various industrial and mining sectors including Electricity; Water; Energy Transition; Hydrogen; Roads, Rail and Ports; Coal; Gold; Platinum; Battery Metals; etc.

Already a subscriber?

Forgotten your password?

MAGAZINE & ONLINE

SUBSCRIBE

RESEARCH CHANNEL AFRICA

SUBSCRIBE

CORPORATE PACKAGES

CLICK FOR A QUOTATION







301

sq:0.134 0.23s - 186pq - 2rq
Subscribe Now