The importance of water for our business
The mining sector is essential for providing natural resources that leverage economic and social development, with water being a fundamental input present at all phases of operations, from the conceptual design to future use.
Our goal is to ensure responsible management of Water Resources and effluents generated in the process. Water use must be rational, socially equitable, environmentally sustainable, and economically beneficial, considering an inclusive process of stakeholders and the river basin.
To guide us in achieving our goal, we have approved the Water and Water Resources Policy, which establishes principles and guidelines for Vale’s actions regarding the sustainable management of water and water resources – throughout the life cycle of its projects and in all river basins where it operates.
Three principles are highlighted below:
To meet this Target, we invest in Water Resource governance, water monitoring, new processes and technologies with greater efficiency and less waste generation, water and effluent circularity initiatives in the company’s processes, technology and research, engagement with communities and stakeholders, and water risk management.
Forest protection and restoration work is also strategic to the water resource management agenda, as it contributes to maintaining and expanding water availability in river basins. Currently, we help conserve and protect approximately 1 million hectares of natural areas worldwide, 800,000 hectares in the Amazon and 180,000 hectares in the Atlantic Forest. We have been operating in the Amazon for 40 years and, in partnership with the Chico Mendes Institute for Biodiversity Conservation (ICMBio), we contribute to the protection of the Carajás Conservation Unit Mosaic. This region is home to six conservation units and protects a vast area of native forest, as well as thousands of springs and rivers.
With our Forest Target, we contribute to advancing the forestry agenda, restoring and protecting 500,000 hectares beyond our borders, also contributing to maintaining and expanding water availability in river basins.
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Water Use in Mining
Our Work
We are members of the International Council on Mining and Metals (ICMM), of the Brazilian Mining Institute (IBRAM), the Brazilian Business Council for Sustainable Development (CEBDS), and 11 river basin committees. We also actively participate in Water Resources Technical Groups, which discuss and define guidelines for the responsible management of water resources and effluents in mining.
Photo: Marcelo Coelho. A thickener in Sohar (Vale Oman). Thickeners are used for solid-liquid separation in mineral processing, with the separated water returning to the process.
Vale’s Water Resources governance assigns responsibilities at the global and systemic levels of both the river basin and the operational unit, based on the concept of Lines of Defense, in conformity with the Company’s Risk Management regulations.
A Qualified Person (QP) is designated for the operational units. This is a Vale employee dedicated to Water Resources management, present in all Vale operations. This person is responsible for coordinating the local Water Resources Management Committee and, together with representatives from the main water-using areas/processes, implementing the Water Resources and Effluents Management Program. Vale invests in the effective training of professionals working in Water Resources and Effluents to ensure process efficiency. We promote spaces for exchanging experiences and presenting best practices, encourage the identification of problems and the adoption of efficient and innovative solutions, and strive to involve our staff in water management and conservation. Our training courses range from hydraulic and hydrological concepts to qualifications for closing operational water balances.
At the senior management level, Vale’s Board of Directors, as defined in Vale’s Bylaws, is the body responsible for: (i) acting as guardian of the Company’s corporate governance model and practices, and (ii) defining the Company’s Corporate Policies and deciding on the development, review, or revocation of such Policies. As a result of this responsibility, the Executive Committee is responsible for approving the Water and Water Resources Policy, upon proposal from the Executive Vice Presidency of Sustainability. Furthermore, in conformity with the Risk Management Standard and Policy, the Company’s risks (including water risks) are identified, monitored, reported, and reviewed by the appropriate management positions up to the Board of Directors. The Executive Committee is supported by the Executive Risk Committees, depending on their area of expertise. Within the scope of the 2030 Water Target, the Executive Committee works on the periodic review of said target, monitoring the implementation of socio-environmental strategies.
At Vale’s operating units, we prioritize the Water Resources and Effluents Management Program, structured and adapted to regional and river basin specificities. We have implemented initiatives to optimize our uses and discharges, including circularity projects and advanced water and effluent control and treatment systems. We also consider using sustainable sources where feasible, adopt new processes and technologies to consume less new water and continuously invest in water monitoring. These measures are essential for decision-making based on the preservation of the river basins where Vale operates.
We assess water and effluent quality parameters in conformity with the respective regulations and guidelines in each country where we operate. Monitoring is conducted by independent laboratories, certified and accredited by ISO 17.0025 and, in addition, some points have real-time monitoring through multiparametric probes.
At units with potential for acid mine drainage, Vale conducts geochemical characterization studies of materials such as waste rock, ore, and tailings, from the exploration phase through project development. The goal is to assess the potential for acid drainage and, when necessary, define and implement prevention and control systems to mitigate associated risks. This management process is guided by internal procedures based on internationally recognized technical references, such as the Mine Environment Neutral Drainage (MEND) program and the Global Acid Rock Drainage (GARD) guide, developed by the International Network for Acid Prevention (INAP).
ITV Sustainable Development, headquartered in Belém, Pará, aims to develop research that fills knowledge gaps and supports Vale’s operations. The institute also works on strategic issues related to the sustainable development of the regions where the company operates. With an interdisciplinary approach, ITV conducts studies in areas such as geochemistry, water resources, biodiversity, ecosystem services, environmental genomics, socioeconomics, restoration of degraded areas, forestry, meteorology, climate change, and data science.
The institute has 40 hired researchers, in addition to a robust scholarship program (currently supporting 182 students) and a Professional Master’s program. By 2025, the program had trained 185 master’s degree holders, 68 of whom are now Vale employees. In the Water Resources area, 17 master’s degree holders went through the Professional Master’s program and 20 young researchers received training through the scholarship program.
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For those aspects that remain significant even after controls are implemented, we develop and monitor Action Plans to reduce their significance. We integrate Vale’s risk management tools with water management, assessing scenarios related to scarcity, contamination, and extreme events, with structured response and contingency plans.
As part of preventive risk management, we conduct a systematic process of monitoring and analyzing local regulatory trends related to water management. This practice aims to anticipate legal and regulatory changes that may have an impact on our operations and enable the adoption of preventive measures and strengthening regulatory compliance, thereby reducing exposure to legal, operational, and reputational risks. Thus, through institutional representatives in various water resources forums, we gather technical and legal input that informs Vale’s contributions to our representative entities.
As part of Vale’s ESG strategy launched in 2022, the Responsible Purchasing Program began implementing measures that delve deeper into the environmental, social, and economic aspects of value chain management. To this end, the ESG Criticality Matrix for the Supply Chain was developed, which assesses potential ESG impacts, such as those related to water and effluents in our supply chain.
In 2024, we advanced in understanding the socio-environmental implications of our supply chain, with a focus on legal and reputational co-liability risks. Potential risks identified include water availability, conflicts over water use, and water security. This year, all suppliers with active contracts underwent social and environmental due diligence upon registration, with 30% classified as high or very high risk on the ESG Criticality Matrix.
Learn more about it on the Supplier Portal.
Water Balance
As a result, we gained agility in decision-making, identified losses and inefficiencies in the system, mapped strategic points for operational management and control, and visualized consolidated indicators by period and by unit.
Total water withdrawal (in millions of m³) in 2025
In 2025, the Company withdrew 458.3 Mm³ of fresh water, representing a 12% increase in total water abstraction compared to 2024. On the other hand, it also increased by 12% the volume of water withdrawn and returned unused to the environment or allocated to third parties (340.3 Mm³), helping to reduce pressure on the basin’s water availability. The share of recirculated and reused water (611,2 Mm³) accounted for 84% of Vale’s total water demand, reflecting consistent progress in internal practices.
The increase in operational use is associated with the realization of the expected production growth, the ramp-up of plants and production lines, and the strengthening of particulate matter control actions. According to the water balance, illustrated alongside, 340.3 Mm³ (74% of all water abstracted) is not used in operations. This volume is allocated directly, and without use, to communities and/or the environment, contributing to local water availability and strengthening the environmental security of the basins where we operate.
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Research and Development in Water Resources
Transparency
Regarding water issues, in addition to the monthly monitoring conducted by the Minas Gerais Water Management Institute (IGAM), the water quality of the Paraopeba River and its tributaries is monitored by Vale, respecting the commitment made to the responsible public agencies. All this work is accompanied by an independent technical and environmental audit, commissioned by the Public Prosecutor’s Office of the State of Minas Gerais (MPMG). The data obtained from monitoring is periodically reported to regulatory agencies and to the MPMG.
The water quality of the Paraopeba River has shown consistent signs of recovery, most evident during dry periods, when results are similar to or better than those recorded before the dam burst. This process is a result of both the river’s natural dynamics and ongoing repair efforts. Systematic monitoring is essential to understanding these behaviors and guiding environmental remediation strategies.
Commitments and Targets
The 2030 Water Target considers all river basins where we operate and defines specific objectives for each of our pillars. We are aiming for a cumulative reduction of 27% (baseline 2017), considering stricter targets for units located in regions with higher levels of water stress. This initiative reinforces our commitment to reducing our drivers of environmental impacts on nature, directly contributing to the construction of sustainable mining.
Numberof operational unitsinrelation to the waterstress level
Our Results
By 2025, we had achieved a 32% reduction in the specific use of fresh water in our operations, compared to the 2017 baseline. Several actions and investments were made to improve the water efficiency of our operations, as shown in the section “Our Units in Focus” below.
However, despite this significant progress, as indicated in Vale’s Production and Sales Report, an increase in production is estimated in the coming years, which could lead to a proportional increase in water consumption.
Our projections indicate that, even in this scenario, we will remain aligned with the New Water Use Reduction Target established for 2030. This estimate considers the continued implementation of initiatives aimed at optimizing water use and the adoption of more efficient technologies throughout the period.
Reduction in specific use of freshwater
* For the purposes of the Water Target scope, only units directly linked to the company’s main production activity are considered. Therefore, units sold or those with production halted, as well as railways or ports, are not included. The units included in the Water Target represent over 97% of the company's total operational water use.
Our Units in Focus
Oman
Drainage and Stormwater Harvesting Project at Vale Oman.
Imagem: Marcelo Coelho
Sossego
Sossego
This modernization reduces employee exposure to occupational risks, prevents over-extraction beyond permitted water rights, lowers emissions associated with travel, and uses data intelligence to automatically populate the forms required by environmental authorities. The result is a safer, more efficient operation aligned with best practices in water sustainability in mining.
Imagem: Washington Alves
EFVM
Reuse System
In 2025, we implemented a significant improvement with the installation of a direct reuse system, enabling garden irrigation without the need for water trucks. The solution reduced operational costs and increased operational safety.
As a result of water efficiency actions in 2025, we achieved a combined volume of effluent reuse and rainwater harvesting of approximately 41 million liters.
Imagem: Washington Alves
Tubarão
Implementation of the K area Storage System
Improvement of operational control over the distribution and storage process of reuse water at the Tubarão site through the implementation of tanks, totaling an increase in storage capacity of 50,800 m³.
The primary objective of the project was to increase rainwater storage and buffer flow variations, especially to equalize flows to the effluent treatment system at the MFE Wastewater Treatment Plant (ETE MFE), thereby reducing the volumes of effluent discharged into water bodies.
Additionally, the project improved the operational control of the ETE MFE by equalizing inflow rates and ensuring the required detention time for each treatment stage, reducing effluent discharge at points licensed by the environmental authority, and optimizing and reusing water resources—contributing to the sustainability of the production process and to water security.
Imagem: Ricardo Teles
Itabira
Rio Tanque Project
The Rio Tanque Project includes the construction of a 25 kilometer pipeline connecting the Rio Tanque to the Water Treatment Plant located in the Campestre neighborhood. The plant will have the capacity to treat up to 600 liters per second, representing 50% more than Itabira’s current urban water demand.
This project represents Vale’s largest investment in the region (R$ 1.17 billion) and is expected to generate up to 1,200 jobs at the peak of construction.
Imagem: Isaque Junior (1).webp
Salobo
These controls consist of sedimentation basins large enough to contain fines, store the volume of rainwater and bottom drainage, and ensure the operability of the pumping system. The system is automated and controlled by a supervisory team from the mine drainage team, allowing the monitoring of structural levels, potential failures, activation of the pump set, and monitoring of pumped volumes.
Paraopeba Complex
Mariana Complex
Vitória Minas Railway
The installation of several rainwater collection points began in 2012, reducing the demand on drinking water sources and promoting sustainable practices. This water is used to clean yards and machinery, wet roads, and irrigate green areas. To maintain this practice, the departments constantly evaluate opportunities and maintain existing structures. A mapping conducted in 2024 showed that approximately 5% of the operational unit’s total water demand corresponded to precipitation used by the area.
Carajás Railway
In recent years, the volume of reused water has averaged 47% of the unit's total water demand, totaling 28,383 m³, enough to fill 11 Olympic-sized swimming pools.
The initiative contributed to Vale's Water Goal, initiated in 2018, and prevented the discharge of stormwater into receiving water bodies.
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