Vale (VALE) delivered its highest quarterly iron ore production since 2018 at 94.4 million metric tons in Q3, which represented a 3.8% year-over-year increase, the company said in a production and sales report Tuesday.

Q3 iron ore production was supported by a new quarterly record at the company's S11D mine in Para, Brazil, as well as the ramp-up of key projects, Vale said.

The company said iron, copper, and nickel production were tracking towards the upper end of 2025 production guidance ranges.

Q3 copper production was 90,800 metric tons, an increase of 5.7% year over year, primarily due to steady output at the Salobo mine in Brazil and higher concentrate volumes from Voisey's Bay and Sudbury in Canada, Vale said.

Q3 nickel production totaled 46,800 metric tons, down 0.6% from a year ago, as maintenance activities at the Copper Cliff refinery impacted output at Sudbury, the company said.

Vale shares were 1% higher in recent Wednesday premarket activity.