Brucutu Mine, owned by Vale in Minas Gerais, wins the Shingo Prize, the leading global award in management

The autonomous equipment operation at Vale's Brucutu mine, located in São Gonçalo do Rio Abaixo, Minas Gerais, has been recognized with the Shingo Prize, considered the world's most rigorous and prestigious award in operational management and organizational culture. The prize is granted by the Shingo Institute at Utah State University (USA) and was created in honor of Shigeo Shingo, one of the leading architects of the Toyota Production System.

The recognition highlights the site's high level of excellence, combining strong production performance with safety standards above the industry average. The Brucutu operation also contributed to Vale achieving its highest annual iron ore production volume since 2018 - 336 million metric tons. These results reflect the maturity and efficiency of the management systems implemented at the site.

"The award demonstrates our commitment to operational excellence and continuous improvement, deeply rooted in our cultural transformation journey. It reflects the discipline of our teams, the strength of our culture, and our ability to evolve with a focus on safety, quality, and efficiency," says Carlos Medeiros, Vale's Vice President of Operations.

The official Shingo Prize award ceremony will take place on March 19th in the United States, bringing together leading global organizations recognized for excellence in industrial management.

Brazil's First 100% Autonomous Mine

Brucutu was a pioneer in Brazil in operating a 100% autonomous haul truck fleet, beginning the use of this technology in 2018. The site currently operates 15 off-highway trucks, each with a hauling capacity of 240 metric tons, as well as two autonomous drill rigs. A specialized team monitors the operation from a control room, reducing workers' exposure to risk.

Vale currently operates around 100 autonomous pieces of equipment in Brazil across its mine, yard, and port operations. "There is strong synergy between the company's goals and the use of autonomous systems, which deliver improved safety, lower operating costs, increased performance, and reduced carbon emissions in our operations," Medeiros concludes.

Last year, the Wheelset Exchange and Maintenance Center of the Carajás Railway (EFC), in São Luís, received the Shingo Silver Medallion.