Vale to restart Onca Puma nickel mine in Brazil after court order

Vale SA will restart the Onca Puma nickel operation in Brazil after a court order reinstated the mine's operating license, the company said Oct. 27.

The minister president of the Superior Court of Justice granted a request to suspend an earlier court decision that forced Vale to halt operations in mid-October.

Vale paused operations at Onca Puma in early October due to alleged noncompliance with licensing conditions but resumed immediately after a judge of the 3rd Finance Court of the Judicial District of Belém ordered the reinstatement of the operating license.

The company also recently restarted the conveyor belt at its Salobo copper mine in Brazil after a fire.

Onca Puma produced 2,200 tonnes of nickel in the third quarter, or 7.3% of Vale's third-quarter nickel production totaling 30,200 tonnes.