THE MINERAL INDUSTRY OF BRAZIL 
183 
 
ty of 24.5 million tons of iron ore pellets per year. This represented 1.%
of the country's ore capacity. 
 
, 
Pellet plant 
Start- 
Million ~?l~e~ per year 
 
CVRDT              
1969 
 
2.0 
CVRDII             
1973 
 
3.0 
Itabrasco             
1976 
 
3.0 
Ferteco              
1977 
 
2.5 
Samarco             
Nibrascp I            
Nibrasco II            
Hispanobras          
1977 
1978 
1978 
1979 
 
5.0 
3.0 
3.0 
3.0 
Total             
 
24.5 
 
 In 1978, exports of pellets by Brazil increased fourfold over the 1977 level
to 9.7 million tons. In 1978 Brazil was Latin America's major producer of
iron ore pellets. World consumption of pellets by the steel industry has
increased from 16% of the iron consumed in the West and Japan in 1967 to
26% projected for 1980. 
 Brazil exported about 75.4 million tons of iron ore in 1979, an 18% increase
over that of 1978, at a value of about $1.3 billion. Exports of iron ore
and pellets by CVRD in 1979 were valued at $754 million, 20% higher than
the foreign sales of 1978. Ore shipments were mostly from the port of Tubaräo
followed in volume by the ports of Sepetiba and Ponta Ubu. Exports in 1978
were to Japan - 34%, Federal Republic of Germany - 22%, and France - 8%.

 Domestic consumption of iron ore by Brazil's expanding steel industry grew
to 12.8 million tons in 1978 and to 14.5 million tons in 1979, of which 2.15
million tons were in pellet form. 
 DNPM reported a 40% increase in Brazil's measured reserves of iron ore to
13.9 billion tons, with total reserves at 34.2 
billion tons. 
 Iron and SteeL—The steel industry of Brazil continued its leading
position in Latin America, accounting for 50% of the region's steel output.
As a result of an ambitious steel expansion program, Brazil has moved from
20th place to 12th place among the world's steel producers. Brazil has also
become a significant world producer of a large variety of ferroalloys ranking
9th after the Federal Republic of Germany. 
 In 1978-79 output of crude steel continued the strong growth trend of the
decade, increasing 8.4% in 1978 and 14.8% in 1979. The almost 14 million
tons of crude steel produced in 1979 compares with the 5 million tons in
1969. Brazil's internal demand for steel has also grown at a high rate. Total
apparent steel consumption for 1979 was estimated at 13.6 million tons. In
1979, for the first time in the country's industrial history, Brazil achieved
a sizable surplus of steel for export. The 1978 yearbook of the Brazilian
Steel Institute listed 43 iron and steel companies in operation. 
 Brazil's leading steel companies, public and privately held, were engaged
in expansion projects as detailed in table 4. For the first time, COSIGUA
became one of the six steel companies producing more than onehalf million
tons of crude steel. Aços de Minas Gerais (ACOMINAS), established
in early 1976 at Ouro Branco, Minas Gerais, was nearing completion of its
$3 billion plant to produce 2 million tons per year of non-flat steel products.
Ownership of ACOMINAS is as follows: the State of Minas Gerais - 20%, the
Government-owned USIMINAS steel company - 40%, CVRD - 20%, and foreign (largely
English) equipment suppliers - 20%. 
 
Table 4.—Brazil: Major producers of crude steel 
(Thousand metric tons) 
Company/headquarters 1976 1977 1978 1979 Project status 
Usinas SiderOrgicas de Minas Gerais S/A- TJSIMINAS 
 BeloHorizonte-MG 2,345 2,721 2,709 3,100 Currentcapacity3.5million 
       tons per year. Inaugu 
       rated Stage III expansion 
       in August 1978. Received 
       approval for initiation 
       of Stage IV to increase 
       capacity to 5.5 million 
       tons for 1983/85. 
Companhia SiderOrgica Nacional - CSN 
 RioDeJaneiro-RJ 1,366 1,962 2,135 2,347 Engagedin$3billion 
       Stage III expansion pro 
       gram to increase capacity 
       from 2.5 to 4.6 million 
       tons per year by 1983. 
       CSN s projected Stage 
      W would lift capacity 
       to 6.8 million tons.