RIO DE JANEIRO/SAO PAULO (Reuters) -Brazilian miner Vale reported on Tuesday its highest quarterly iron ore production since 2018, and said it is on track to reach the upper band of its 2025 production target for its three main businesses.

Vale, one of the world's largest iron ore miners, produced 94.4 million metric tons of the steelmaking material in the third quarter, a 3.8% increase year-on-year and the highest since the last three months of 2018.

Vale said the performance was boosted by record production for any third quarter in its S11D mining project in northern Brazil and the ramp-up of other projects.

The company estimated iron ore output of 325 million to 335 million tons in 2025. In the first nine months of the year, production totaled 245.7 million tons.

Vale said its iron ore, copper and nickel businesses "are tracking towards the upper end of the 2025 production guidance ranges," according to its sales and output report.

The firm's sales of iron ore, including pellets, rose 5.1% year-on-year to 86 million tons in the quarter, as realized prices of iron ore fines increased 4.2% to $94.4 per ton.