Brazil's Vale to idle two pellet plants

摘要

Brazil's Vale said Thursday it will temporarily idle the Sao Luis and Tubarao I and II iron ore pellet plants, starting October 8 at Sao Luis and November 13 at Tubarao, on weaker demand from steelmakers. Vale will boost supply of sinter feed instead as it reduces iron ore supplied to pellet plants, the Rio de Janeiro-based group said in a statement. Sao Luis and Tubarao I and II produced 4.93 million mt of pellets during the first half of 2012, accounting for 18.3% of Vale's total, it said.