Brazil miner Vale says Q2 iron ore output up 32 pct

RIO DE JANEIRO, July 29 (Reuters) - Brazilian Vale
(VALE.N)(VALE5.SA) said on Thursday its iron ore production in
the second quarter increased 32 percent year-on-year to 75.9
million tonnes, the highest level since the third quarter of
2008.

Higher iron production provided greater feedstock for
pellets production, which reached 12.6 million tonnes, the
company said in a production report that accompanied its second
quarter earnings release.

The following is a table showing Vale's production of
selected metals in the second quarter versus the previous
quarter and the year earlier quarter, in thounds of tonnes.
===============================================================

METAL Q2 2010 Q1 2010 Q2 2009
===============================================================

Iron ore 75,860 69,059 57,396

Iron pellets 12,653 10,492 4,251

Nickel 37 33 59

Manganese 494 397 550

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

For details on Vale earnings click on: [ID:N29115341]

For a graphic on Vale iron ore production click:

link.reuters.com/gup72k

For a graphic on iron ore, click:

link.reuters.com/zed75j

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
(Reporting by Brian Ellsworth; editing by Todd Eastham)