OREANDA-NEWS. The year 2014 has already begun with an important milestone for the Carajas S11D Iron Project: the first concrete was poured during work on the foundations of the Processing Plant Secondary Screening building.

During the initial phase, involving the foundations of the three buildings, 42 modules will be installed. During this process, approximately 22,500 cubic metres of concrete will be used, sufficient to build some 1,200 state-subsidized housing units.

The S11D Iron Project is the largest in Vale's history and that of the mining industry as a whole. The undertaking constitutes the key lever to increase production capacity and maintain Vale's market leadership in terms of volume, cost and quality. Situated in the southern Carajas mountain range, in Para, the project, with its estimated USD 8.039 billion investment in the mine and processing plant, will have a nominal capacity of 90 million metric tons per annum (Mtpa) of iron ore with an average iron content of 66.48% and low concentrations of impurities. The project is expected to become operational during the second half of 2016.

The S11D project will involve parallel investment in logistical infrastructure such as the Carajas Railway and the Ponta da Madeira port facilities in Sao Luis, Maranhao. Once concluded, these investments - estimated at USD 11.4 billion - should boost handling capacity to 230 Mtpa of iron ore.