RIO DE JANEIRO, March 12 (Reuters) - Brazilian mining

company Vale said on Thursday it produced 26.3

million metric tons of iron ore in 2025 from materials

previously classified as waste or tailings, more than double the

12.7 million tons produced this way a year earlier.

The volume exceeded the company's initial forecast of some

20 million tons of iron ore from waste materials last year, Vale

said.

Vale has been investing in circular mining, which has grown

from a pilot project into an industrial-scale effort. Last year,

the initiative cut waste disposal space by the equivalent of

around 60 railcars loaded with iron ore and contributed to the

company's decarbonization targets, Vale said.

The initiative is part of Vale's broader circular mining

program, which aims to source 10% of its output from waste

materials by 2030. The measures have gained momentum following

deadly dam failures in Brazil in recent years.

Other highlights of Vale's circular mining efforts include

sand production from waste, which has surpassed 3 million tons

since 2023, the company said.