Brazil Iron’s Vice President, Emerson Souza, highlighted on Monday (27) Bahia’s potential to lead the transition to sustainable mining in Brazil and worldwide. During the opening of the 2025 Brazilian Mining Expo & Congress (Exposibram) at the Salvador Convention Center, he also detailed the company’s investment exceeding US$ 5 billion, which aims to transform the state into a global reference in the production of green iron—an essential technology for decarbonizing the steel industry.

On the occasion, Souza stated that Exposibram marks a decisive moment for the region’s economic and technological development. According to him, the presence of leading companies in the sector and key political representatives in Salvador reinforces Bahia’s prominence in the international mining landscape.

“We are reaching a turning point for Bahia’s development from the perspective of mining. It’s the opportunity for the state to show Brazil and the world its mineral potential,” said Emerson.

Bahia solidifies its position as a sustainable mining powerhouse

Brazil Iron’s project will be implemented in the south-central region of Bahia, covering the municipalities of Piatã, Abaíra, and Jussiape, in Chapada Diamantina. In its first phase, the operation will extract and process the ore, turning it into pellet feed to be transported to the port area, where new industrial plants will produce what is known as green iron.

The product, technically referred to as HBI (Hot Briquetted Iron), is considered a milestone in the steel industry’s energy transition. According to Emerson, this innovation will allow replacing coal-fired furnaces with electric ones powered by clean energy, drastically reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

“The steel industry will be able to move away from coal furnaces that generate major pollution and emit large amounts of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, transitioning to electric furnaces powered by clean, renewable energy,” explained the vice president.

In his assessment, the product could represent a “turning point” for the steel sector. “It’s about decarbonizing an industry that today accounts for 8% of global greenhouse gas emissions,” noted Emerson Souza.

Economic and social impact for Bahia

Beyond the positive environmental effect, Brazil Iron’s project is expected to create thousands of direct and indirect jobs, increase tax revenue, and strengthen local production chains. Emerson emphasized that, despite the project’s significant financial scale, its main legacy will be repositioning Bahia as a global hub for sustainable mining.

The vice president also pointed out that the state’s ore has a high concentration and exceptional quality, distinguishing it from major global producers such as Australia, India, and China.

“This is the input the steel industry needs today to achieve decarbonization—using the material we’ll produce in Bahia, making it the first place in the Americas to manufacture this kind of product,” he emphasized.

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