Samarco Mineração S.A. and Metso set a world record

Samarco and Metso ventured on a journey together almost 50 years ago, when one of Metso’s predecessors delivered the first pelletizing plant to Samarco Mineração S.A. in Brazil. And in August 2023, Samarco broke the world record for iron ore pellet production. The company attained monthly production of 824,829 tonnes of high-grade pellets in a single pelletizing line with its 816 m² Metso Pelletizing Plant Indurating Machine #4 at its Ubu site in Brazil. At an annual level, the production is equivalent to approximately 8.8 to 9.0 Mtpa of pellets in a single machine.

To see Samarco break their monthly iron ore pellet production record is a great achievement. Metso is proud to see how its solutions are helping customers improve their pelletizing operations while simultaneously supporting the journey toward decarbonization.

Samarco has installed three additional Metso Pelletizing Plants at its Ubu site. The two companies are now looking toward an even brighter shared future and are discussing the revamp of the three other plants to continue increasing pellet production and decarbonizing the steel industry processes using sustainable technologies according to Samarco’s gradual production revamp plan. Related test works and studies are currently being performed at Metso’s R&D facility in Frankfurt, Germany.

Metso’s traveling grate pelletizing process produces uniform pellets, ensuring high performance and quality with low investment and operating costs, as well as decreased energy consumption and emissions.