Cedro Mineração invests R$3.5 bn in green iron ore project in Minas Gerais

Cedro Mineração announced a R$3.5 billion investment to expand production of low‑emission "green" iron ore in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. The plan aims to raise annual capacity from about 3 million tonnes to more than 20 million tonnes by 2032. The first phase, already under construction in Mariana, will increase output to 6 million tonnes, while additional projects in Itabirito and Ouro Preto await environmental licensing. The expansion uses a method that recovers fine particles under 50 mm without tailings dams, producing pellet feed suitable for direct‑reduction steelmaking and projected to cut CO₂ emissions by up to 50 % depending on the downstream process.

Vice‑president Fabiano Carvalho said Brazil’s high‑purity iron ore reserves and largely renewable electricity mix give it a strategic advantage as global steelmakers seek lower‑carbon raw materials. The company intends to shift fully from sinter feed to pellet feed, aligning with the steel industry's decarbonisation targets and growing demand from markets in Asia, Europe and the Middle East.