International news outlets reported that Vale's head of investor relations Roberto Castello Branco has indicated that once Vale SA's new Amazon mine comes into production in 2017, Brazil will once again be the world's largest iron ore exporter, overtaking Australia.
Australia, aided by BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto, has been rapidly increasing its iron ore exports to Asian countries in recent years. Brazil currently controls about one-third of the seaborne iron ore market while Australia controls half.