2.2.0.25falsefalse0212 - Disclosure - Property, plant and equipment and intangible assetstruefalsefalse1falsefalseUSDfalsefalse1/1/2010 - 12/31/2010
USD ($)
USD ($) / shares
$Jan-01-2010_Dec-31-2010http://www.sec.gov/CIK0000917851duration2010-01-01T00:00:002010-12-31T00:00:00USDStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso42170USDEPSDividehttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso4217http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancesharesxbrli0USDUSD$2true0vale_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentAndIntangibleAssetsAbstractvalefalsenadurationProperty, plant and equipment and intangible assets.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalse| 1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse | Otherxbrli:stringItemTypestringProperty, plant and equipment and intangible assets.falsefalse
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<td width="3%" nowrap="nowrap" align="left"><b>12</b></td>
<td width="1%"> </td>
<td><b>Property, plant and equipment and intangible assets</b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="font-size: 6pt"> </td>
</tr>
<tr valign="top" style="font-size: 10pt; color: #000000; background: transparent">
<td width="3%" nowrap="nowrap" align="left"> </td>
<td width="1%"> </td>
<td><b>By type of assets:</b></td>
</tr>
</table>
</div>
<div align="center">
<table style="font-size: 10pt; text-align: left" cellspacing="0" border="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%">
<!-- Begin Table Head -->
<tr valign="bottom">
<td width="28%"> </td>
<td width="5%"> </td>
<td width="3%"> </td>
<td width="1%"> </td>
<td width="3%"> </td>
<td width="1%"> </td>
<td width="3%"> </td>
<td width="1%"> </td>
<td width="3%"> </td>
<td width="1%"> </td>
<td width="3%"> </td>
<td width="1%"> </td>
<td width="3%"> </td>
<td width="1%"> </td>
<td width="3%"> </td>
<td width="1%"> </td>
<td width="3%"> </td>
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<td width="3%"> </td>
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<td width="3%"> </td>
<td width="1%"> </td>
<td width="3%"> </td>
</tr>
<tr style="font-size: 8pt" valign="bottom">
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" align="right" colspan="11" style="border-bottom: 1px solid #000000"><b>As of December 31, 2010</b></td>
<td> </td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" align="right" colspan="11" style="border-bottom: 1px solid #000000"><b>As of December 31, 2009</b></td>
</tr>
<tr style="font-size: 8pt" valign="bottom">
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" align="center" colspan="3"><b>Accumulated</b></td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" align="center" colspan="3"><b>Accumulated</b></td>
<td> </td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" align="center" colspan="3"> </td>
</tr>
<tr style="font-size: 8pt" valign="bottom">
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" align="center" colspan="3" style="border-bottom: 1px solid #000000"><b>Cost</b></td>
<td> </td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" align="center" colspan="3" style="border-bottom: 1px solid #000000"><b>Depreciation</b></td>
<td> </td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" align="center" colspan="3" style="border-bottom: 1px solid #000000"><b>Net</b></td>
<td> </td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" align="center" colspan="3" style="border-bottom: 1px solid #000000"><b>Cost</b></td>
<td> </td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" align="center" colspan="3" style="border-bottom: 1px solid #000000"><b>Depreciation</b></td>
<td> </td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" align="center" colspan="3" style="border-bottom: 1px solid #000000"><b>Net</b></td>
</tr>
<!-- End Table Head -->
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<tr valign="bottom" style="background: #cceeff">
<td>
<div style="margin-left:15px; text-indent:-15px">Land
</div></td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td align="right">356</td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td align="right">—</td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td align="right">356</td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td align="right">284</td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td align="right">—</td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td align="right">284</td>
<td> </td>
</tr>
<tr valign="bottom">
<td>
<div style="margin-left:15px; text-indent:-15px">Buildings
</div></td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td align="right">6,087</td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" align="left"> </td>
<td align="right">(1,110</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">)</td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td align="right">4,977</td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td align="right">4,324</td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td align="right">1,143</td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td align="right">3,181</td>
<td> </td>
</tr>
<tr valign="bottom" style="background: #cceeff">
<td>
<div style="margin-left:15px; text-indent:-15px">Installations
</div></td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td align="right">14,904</td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" align="left"> </td>
<td align="right">(4,231</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">)</td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td align="right">10,673</td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td align="right">14,063</td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td align="right">4,160</td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td align="right">9,903</td>
<td> </td>
</tr>
<tr valign="bottom">
<td>
<div style="margin-left:15px; text-indent:-15px">Equipment
</div></td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td align="right">10,948</td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" align="left"> </td>
<td align="right">(3,637</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">)</td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td align="right">7,311</td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td align="right">7,499</td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td align="right">2,380</td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td align="right">5,119</td>
<td> </td>
</tr>
<tr valign="bottom" style="background: #cceeff">
<td>
<div style="margin-left:15px; text-indent:-15px">Railroads
</div></td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td align="right">7,337</td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" align="left"> </td>
<td align="right">(2,357</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">)</td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td align="right">4,980</td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td align="right">6,685</td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td align="right">2,016</td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td align="right">4,669</td>
<td> </td>
</tr>
<tr valign="bottom">
<td>
<div style="margin-left:15px; text-indent:-15px">Mine development costs
</div></td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td align="right">28,010</td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" align="left"> </td>
<td align="right">(4,071</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">)</td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td align="right">23,939</td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td align="right">20,205</td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td align="right">2,957</td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td align="right">17,248</td>
<td> </td>
</tr>
<tr valign="bottom" style="background: #cceeff">
<td>
<div style="margin-left:15px; text-indent:-15px">Others
</div></td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td align="right">12,088</td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" align="left"> </td>
<td align="right">(2,987</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">)</td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td align="right">9,101</td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td align="right">10,418</td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td align="right">3,123</td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td align="right">7,295</td>
<td> </td>
</tr>
<tr style="font-size: 1px">
<td>
<div style="margin-left:15px; text-indent:-15px"> 
</div></td>
<td> </td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" colspan="2" align="right" style="border-top: 1px solid #000000"> </td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" colspan="2" align="right" style="border-top: 1px solid #000000"> </td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" colspan="2" align="right" style="border-top: 1px solid #000000"> </td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" colspan="2" align="right" style="border-top: 1px solid #000000"> </td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" colspan="2" align="right" style="border-top: 1px solid #000000"> </td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" colspan="2" align="right" style="border-top: 1px solid #000000"> </td>
<td> </td>
</tr>
<tr valign="bottom">
<td>
<div style="margin-left:15px; text-indent:-15px"> 
</div></td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td align="right"><b>79,730</b></td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" align="left"> </td>
<td align="right"><b>(18,393</b></td>
<td nowrap="nowrap"><b>)</b></td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td align="right"><b>61,337</b></td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td align="right"><b>63,478</b></td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td align="right"><b>15,779</b></td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td align="right"><b>47,699</b></td>
<td> </td>
</tr>
<tr valign="bottom" style="background: #cceeff">
<td>
<div style="margin-left:15px; text-indent:-15px">Construction in progress
</div></td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td align="right">21,759</td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td align="right">—</td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td align="right">21,759</td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td align="right">19,938</td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td align="right">—</td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td align="right">19,938</td>
<td> </td>
</tr>
<tr style="font-size: 1px">
<td>
<div style="margin-left:15px; text-indent:-15px"> 
</div></td>
<td> </td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" colspan="2" align="right" style="border-top: 1px solid #000000"> </td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" colspan="2" align="right" style="border-top: 1px solid #000000"> </td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" colspan="2" align="right" style="border-top: 1px solid #000000"> </td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" colspan="2" align="right" style="border-top: 1px solid #000000"> </td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" colspan="2" align="right" style="border-top: 1px solid #000000"> </td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" colspan="2" align="right" style="border-top: 1px solid #000000"> </td>
<td> </td>
</tr>
<tr valign="bottom">
<td>
<div style="margin-left:15px; text-indent:-15px"><b>Total</b>
</div></td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td align="right"><b>101,489</b></td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" align="left"> </td>
<td align="right"><b>(18,393</b></td>
<td nowrap="nowrap"><b>)</b></td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td align="right"><b>83,096</b></td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td align="right"><b>83,416</b></td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td align="right"><b>15,779</b></td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td align="right"><b>67,637</b></td>
<td> </td>
</tr>
<tr style="font-size: 1px">
<td>
<div style="margin-left:15px; text-indent:-15px"> 
</div></td>
<td> </td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" colspan="2" align="right" style="border-top: 3px double #000000"> </td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" colspan="2" align="right" style="border-top: 3px double #000000"> </td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" colspan="2" align="right" style="border-top: 3px double #000000"> </td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" colspan="2" align="right" style="border-top: 3px double #000000"> </td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" colspan="2" align="right" style="border-top: 3px double #000000"> </td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" colspan="2" align="right" style="border-top: 3px double #000000"> </td>
<td> </td>
</tr>
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<table width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="font-size: 10pt; text-align: left">
<tr valign="top" style="font-size: 10pt; color: #000000; background: transparent">
<td width="3%" nowrap="nowrap" align="left"> </td>
<td width="1%"> </td>
<td>Losses on disposal of property, plant and equipment totaled US$623, US$293 and US$376 in
2010, 2009 and 2008, respectively. Mainly relate write-offs of ships and trucks, locomotives and
other equipment, which were replaced in the normal course of business.</td>
</tr>
</table>
</div>
<div style="margin-top: 6pt">
<table width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="font-size: 10pt; text-align: left">
<tr valign="top" style="font-size: 10pt; color: #000000; background: transparent">
<td width="3%" nowrap="nowrap" align="left"> </td>
<td width="1%"> </td>
<td>Assets given in guarantee of judicial processes totaled US$149 as at December 31, 2010 (US$222
as at December 31, 2009).</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="font-size: 6pt"> </td>
</tr>
<tr valign="top" style="font-size: 10pt; color: #000000; background: transparent">
<td width="3%" nowrap="nowrap" align="left"> </td>
<td width="1%"> </td>
<td><b>Hydroelectric assets</b></td>
</tr>
</table>
</div>
<div style="margin-top: 6pt">
<table width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="font-size: 10pt; text-align: left">
<tr valign="top" style="font-size: 10pt; color: #000000; background: transparent">
<td width="3%" nowrap="nowrap" align="left"> </td>
<td width="1%"> </td>
<td>We participate in several jointly-owned hydroelectric plants, already in operation or under
construction, in which we record our undivided interest in these assets as Property, plant and
equipment.</td>
</tr>
</table>
</div>
<div style="margin-top: 6pt">
<table width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="font-size: 10pt; text-align: left">
<tr valign="top" style="font-size: 10pt; color: #000000; background: transparent">
<td width="3%" nowrap="nowrap" align="left"> </td>
<td width="1%"> </td>
<td>At December 31, 2010 the cost of hydroelectric plants in service totals US$1,432 (December 31,
2009 US$1,382) and the related depreciation in the year was US$422 (December 31, 2009 US$372).
The cost of hydroelectric plant under construction at December 31, 2010 totals US$804 (December
31, 2009 US$521). Income and operating expenses for such plants are not material.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="font-size: 6pt"> </td>
</tr>
<tr valign="top" style="font-size: 10pt; color: #000000; background: transparent">
<td width="3%" nowrap="nowrap" align="left"> </td>
<td width="1%"> </td>
<td><b>Intangibles</b></td>
</tr>
</table>
</div>
<div style="margin-top: 6pt">
<table width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="font-size: 10pt; text-align: left">
<tr valign="top" style="font-size: 10pt; color: #000000; background: transparent">
<td width="3%" nowrap="nowrap" align="left"> </td>
<td width="1%"> </td>
<td>All of the intangible assets recognized in our financial statements were acquired from third
parties, either directly or through a business combination and have definite useful lives from 6
to 30 years.</td>
</tr>
</table>
</div>
<div style="margin-top: 6pt">
<table width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="font-size: 10pt; text-align: left">
<tr valign="top" style="font-size: 10pt; color: #000000; background: transparent">
<td width="3%" nowrap="nowrap" align="left"> </td>
<td width="1%"> </td>
<td>At December 31, 2010 the intangibles amount to US$1,274 (December 31, 2009 — US$1,173), and are
comprised of rights granted by the government — North-South Railroad of US$1,020 and off
take-agreements of US$254.</td>
</tr>
</table>
</div>
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