germano

Samarco Operations

We hold a 50% interest in Samarco, a non-operated joint venture in Brazil. The company employs around 15,000 people directly and indirectly and produces iron ore pellets through its operating units in Minas Gerais and Espírito Santo states.

Following the Fundão dam failure in 2015, Samarco has resumed its operations with a strong focus on safety and sustainability. A new filtration system was implemented, enabling the company to operate without the use of dams. 80% of the generated tailings are now dry stacked, with the rest deposited in a confined rocky pit.

The Germano dam pit decommissioning was completed and approved by the State Authority. Main dam decommissioning is advanced and on track for completion by FY29.

Samarco at a glance

Samarco is independently managed and has its own integrated logistics. This includes mines, concentrators, and pelletizing plants for the processing of iron ore, with pipelines that connect the two operating units and a port terminal for the export of production.
60%Production capacity after second concentrator restart - expected in Q1 CY25
The Germano pit dam decommissioning was completed and approved by the State Authority. Main dam decommissioning is advanced and on track for completion by FY29
~15,000direct and indirect jobs created by Samarco, and ~USD 780MM in taxes since restart (~USD 780MM in taxes contributed until Dec 23 includes taxes generated from Samarco’s value chain activities)
New financial debt issued in exchange for restructured debt as part of Judicial Reorganisation restructure completion in December 2023.

Discover a new Samarco

The company resumed operations differently, using new technologies.

A new filtration system allows for the dry stacking of 80% of the generated tailings, with the rest deposited in a confined pit. Visit the website to find out more about Samarco's restart.

view of the river and trees

Reparation actions

The Renova Foundation operates 42 programs, covering the focus areas of people and community; land and water; and reconstruction and infrastructure. The preparation and execution of the programs are based on the involvement of communities at all stages, with each program undergoing regular monitoring and independent external audits. This ensures the transparency, validity and progress of each program.