Brazil's iron ore production is expected to fall about 20 percent in 2009 from 2008, reported the Brazilian Institute of Mining (IBRAM) Wednesday.
"We believe we will finish the year with a reduction in production levels, in comparison with last year,” said IBRAM president Paulo Camilo Penna.
However, Penna said that the current forecast of a 20 percent year-over-year decrease is an improvement from the outlook seen earlier this year, noting, “It is a scenario much better than what we had in the first quarter.”