Case Study MML – Metais Mineração plant

Plant Data

Meeting the Demands: MML – Metais Mineração

MML Metais Mineração is a Brazilian mining company headquartered in the municipality of Passa Tempo, in the state of Minas Gerais. Established in 2011 and part of the Grupo SMMetais, the company is a fast growing player in the national mining sector. It combines operational expertise and industrial vision within a vertically integrated supply chain, from ore extraction to the finished product.

The deposit managed by MML contains estimated reserves of approximately 25 million tonnes of iron ore and an installed production capacity of around 1,5 million tonnes per year. The company focuses on the extraction and processing of three main high-grade iron ore products: hematitinha, granulado, and sinter-feed, which are supplied to leading Brazilian and international steelmakers.

To improve the management of tailings resulting from its high annual iron ore output, MML Metais Mineração turned to Matec Industries for the purchase of a water treatment plant. With increasing production volumes and the goal of closing the water cycle while minimizing the use of tailings ponds, MML selected Matec’s technology to maximize water recovery, reduce environmental impact, and enhance the value of the solid waste in a sustainable and cost-effective manner.

HPT Plant with 16-Bar Pumps

At the MML – Metais Mineração site, the high-pressure technology HPT ensures highly efficient tailings treatment, made possible by Alfa Pompe pumps capable of operating at up to 16 bar.
As a result, the plant achieves faster filtration cycles and drier filter cakes without the need for lime, maintaining high performance even when processing complex slurries.
These pumps, fully manufactured and individually tested in Italy, deliver long-term robustness, consistent operation, and reliable performance.

Matec’s Solution for the MML – Metais Mineração Plant

In search of an efficient, sustainable, and safe solution for managing iron ore extraction residues, MML – Metais Mineração selected Matec Industries after evaluating over ten plants supplied by competitors in Brazil. The decision was driven by Matec’s proven field reliability, particularly at the Mineral do Brasil site, which features a similar setup and operational requirements.

Primary objective was to handle iron ore tailings with high efficiency, eliminate the use of containment dams, and maximize water recovery. The installed plant provides a treatment capacity of 125 dry tons per hour, using 2 Magnum 2000×2000 filter presses, each equipped with 120 plates.
This setup enabled MML to reach performance levels that competitors could only match by doubling the number of filter presses—resulting in reduced footprint, lower maintenance costs, and simpler operations.

This system is fully automated: the pump feeds the slurry to the filter at a density of approximately 1.246 t/m³ with 30% solids concentration. Processed material, primarily composed of goethite, quartz, hematite, with traces of magnetite and phyllosilicates, is effectively separated from water, ensuring safe and compliant waste management.

MML plant also includes advanced systems for quick cloth replacement, energy monitoring, and a dedicated pneumatic control room. Matec supported the project with comprehensive on-site training for MML’s team, ensuring operational continuity, autonomous management, and high safety standards.

Results Achieved at the MML – Metais Mineração Plant

Since operations began in January 2023, the plant has processed over 850.000 tonnes of tailings, completing more than 33.000 filtration cycles. Water recovery has reached 77%, representing a 102% improvement over the previous technology.

Economically, the implementation of Matec’s filtration system has enabled MML to reduce operational expenditure OPEX by 50% compared to the former system based on thickeners and tailings ponds, while also enhancing the sustainability of the overall process.

For these reasons, the project now stands as a benchmark in the Brazilian mining sector for efficiency, reliability, and environmental responsibility.