Brazil's Vale says peasants block Carajas railroad

SAO PAULO, May 13 (Reuters) - Brazilian mining giant Vale (VALE5.SA: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz)(RIO.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) said on Tuesday a group of landless peasants and mine workers blocked a major railroad transporting iron ore from its Carajas project in northern Para state.

The Carajas railroad run by Vale, the world's biggest iron ore miner, transports 300,000 metric tonnes of iron ore per day from one of its main mines there. The company said the blockade causes daily losses of $22 million to Brazil's trade balance, because it can not export the ore overseas.

The leftist Movement of Landless Rural Workers and the mine workers invaded the tracks near the town of Parauapebas in northern Para state in the lower Amazon basin early in the afternoon, Vale said. They were protesting against the federal and state governments, according to the company.

"Vale finds itself involuntarily involved, for more than one year, in a dispute that has nothing to do with the company," the company said in a statement.

Vale said it was the 11th time since March 2007 it has had its offices, plants or railroads invaded by protesters. (Reporting by Roberto Samora, Writing by Elzio Barreto; Editing by Leslie Adler)