Brazil’s Vale has commissioned and put into production its first grinding hub in China, Kallanish notes.

The hub is located at the Shulanghu ore transfer terminal in Zhoushan Port, in eastern China’s Zhejiang province. This includes three production lines with a capacity of 3 million tonnes/year. The plant will produce GF88, Vale's new pellet feed product made from grinding Carajás Fines (IOCJ).

GF88 has the characteristics of high 65% Fe content, low impurities and low loss on ignition, and also uses a unique and innovative production process. The entire process does not require drying or water, nor does it produce tailings, says Marcello Spinelli, Vale’s ferrous metal business executive officer.

The Shulanghu Grinding hub is the result of cooperation between Vale and Ningbo Zhoushan Port Group. The two parties began to cooperate on production of Brazilian Blend Fines (BRBF) in 2016.