Vale to build biodiesel plant in the Amazon

Vale S.A, a Brazilian mining company and one of the largest logistics operators in Brazil, has begun preparations to build the world’s largest single processing plant for palm oil. The US$500 million project is being undertaken by the company to slash its vast fuel costs and at the same time help develop the Amazon region. The plant will be built on a tract of cleared land in the Amazon rainforest; tract is bigger than London and will be used to grow palm oil, which will be later processed to biodiesel for the company’s machines, ships, trucks and trains. The plant is scheduled to begin operations by 2015. (June 27, 2012)