This article objectifies the implementation of a conveyor belt in an iron ore mine. The mine operational costs of the company Vale S.A. have a tendency to increase in coming years. This increase is related to the rising price of labor, fuel, tires, maintenance costs and large transport distances. Meanwhile, environmental impacts also need to be reduced. The case study of the Fabrica mine operated by VALE in the city of Congonhas, in Minas Gerais State of Brazil, was chosen aiming for a comparative study between the employment of big trucks and the deployment of conveyor belts. The decision for the best alternative would be made by an economic analysis of the incremental cash flow. After the economic evaluation of the project, economic and environmental gains were expected for the alternative of conveyor belt deployment.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.