Vale Base Metals has confirmed it is proceeding with the Coarse Particle Flotation (CPF) project underwritten by the Eriez HydroFloat® process, at its Salobo Copper Complex in Brazil.
The project is expected to represent a step change that will significantly increase processing and production capacity with exceptional project economics, Vale says.
Vale Base Metals detailed the CPF project in its VBM Day on March 31, 2026, when Alfredo Santana, Chief Operating Officer, gave some examples of how VBM is driving excellence across its operations. He said that the use of CPF at Salobo will enable production to increase from 35 Mt of copper ore milled in 2025 to an expected 42 Mt in 2029.
The company anticipates start-up of the project in the first half of 2028, approximately one year earlier than initially projected. This change underscores VBM’s optimised construction strategy and enterprise-wide reorganisation of its project approach, VBM said, with increased agility and ability to execute, delivering sector-leading returns from its project portfolio and vast mineral endowment.
The project is expected to add 6 Mt to the Salobo plant’s annual ore processing capacity, bringing overall processing capacity to the aforementioned 42 Mt/y nameplate. Annual copper production is projected to increase by up to approximately 30,000 t contained in concentrate, which will also carry approximately 15,000 oz of gold as a by-product, further enhancing Salobo’s production profile following record output in 2024 and 2025.
Shaun Usmar, CEO of VBM, said: “The CPF Project reinforces what sets VBM apart: our ability to unlock significant value and growth from world-class assets through execution, innovation and astute capital allocation. Salobo is already one of the world’s premier copper operations, and this project will allow us to produce more copper, more efficiently, using existing infrastructure while improving environmental performance.”
Usmar added: “At a time when our industry is struggling to bring new copper supply online, VBM is bucking trends with the early delivery of its copper growth projects. We announced in late July the early delivery of the first project in our copper pipeline, Bacaba, by six-to-nine months, and I’m pleased to now be able to announce the one-year acceleration of our second project at Salobo. This should clearly demonstrate the strength of our project pipeline and our ability to de-risk, optimise and deliver low capital-intensity, high-return projects.”
The CPF project is a brownfield expansion that will leverage Salobo’s orebody and existing infrastructure, reducing execution risk. CPF will reduce grinding requirements at Salobo through the addition of a new flotation circuit that removes waste rock earlier in the processing stream, alleviating grinding bottlenecks, increasing metallurgical recoveries and enabling higher throughput, the company says. The project is expected to reduce the operation’s environmental impact with lower average energy and water usage compared with other methods.
As part of Salobo’s strategic plan, total mine movements are expected to increase by approximately 7% benefiting from a number of initiatives including the introduction of new autonomous haulage equipment.
VBM received the construction license for the project from IBAMA (Brazil Institute of Environment and Renewable Natural Resources) ahead of schedule, enabling project implementation to begin earlier than planned.
VBM began research and development work on CPF for Salobo more than two years ago, conducting extensive lab testing at its Sheridan Park Research Facility in Canada along with collaboration with industry experts and technical partners. Field testing has underpinned design assumptions and is continuing to accelerate operational training and provide valuable insights at the company’s pilot plant in Brazil’s Carajás region.
The company is exploring additional opportunities for CPF technology at its other copper projects in the Carajás and across its portfolio, including further innovative applications at its polymetallic orebodies.