Minas Gerais produces 53% of Brazilian iron ore and 29% of ores in general. It is also a large producer of gold, zinc, phosphate and produces 75% of world niobium. The state also produces bauxite, manganese, palladium, silver, dolomite, phyllite, quartz, limestone, lead, feldspar, granite, zirconium, cobalt, sulphur, nickel and barite. There are over 300 operational mines in the state, of which 67% are class A, and 40 of the 100 largest mines in Brazil are in Minas Gerais. The main companies are: Alcoa, AngloGoldAshanti, ArcelorMittal, Cia. Brasileira de Alumínio (CBA), CBMM, Companhia Siderúrgica Nacional (CSN), Jaguar Mining, Kinross, Mineração Curimbaba, Samarco, Usiminas, Vale, Vallourec and Votorantim.
There is also the Marcelino Corradi Casting Technology Center (SENAI/CETEF), in Itaúna, that promotes the creation of new technologies for the sector and has specialized and nationally accredited laboratories, in which applied research is carried out for the casting industry.

Minas Gerais has the largest concentration of steel plants, especially because of the proximity of the raw materials. The following companies are in the state: ArcellorMittal, Aperam, Gerdau, Usiminas and Vallourec. These industries account for the supply of a wide range of products, from carbon steel to special steels, flat and long, directly supplying consumers or providing other industries in the production chain (car parts, home appliances, manufacturers of metallic structures, equipment, etc).

The production of non-ferrous metals is very important in the State, based on the industrial operations of: i) Votorantim Metais through the exploration of zinc, lead and silver in Vazante and Paracatu; ii) of AnglogoldAshanti in the gold mining operations in Nova Lima, Sabará and Santa Bárbara; iii) CBMM, in Araxá, the most important world supplier of niobium and niobium technology, and fully integrated from the mine through to the final products: and iv) the aluminum chain, from the bauxite mining, production of alumina, recycling of scrap and reproduction of aluminum.

Minas Gerais is the second largest producer of cast steel, iron, aluminum, bronze and brass, with an installed capacity of 2 million tons/year. With approximately 400 companies, the state has 30% of the Brazilian production, especially in the central-west region (Divinópolis, Cláudio and Itaúna), with an LPA Foundry with 120 companies. There is also the Marcelino Corradi Technological Foundry Center (SENAI/CETEF), in Itaúna, which fosters technological innovation for the sector and has specialized and nationally accredited laboratories for research in the casting industry.

This is an important production chain in Minas Gerais. The state has one of the largest and most advanced centers for the production of equipment and services, on demand, for the oil and gas segments in Brazil.

The aluminum chain has a large impact in Minas Gerais. The current tendency of the sector is to aggregate value to the various aluminum alloys. Possible Investors who have businesses in the state or are interested in setting up a plant will gain significant benefits from raw material, labor, logistics and proximity to the consumer market. The metal structures industry is also significant in the state and is closely associated to the great potential for growth of the civil construction industry in the industrial and infrastructure segments in Brazil. The stability of the sector is one of the indicators of the potential economic growth of the state.

Labor
This is a well-established segment in Minas Gerais. Since the beginning of the industry in Brazil, it has had highly qualified personnel and institutions of different levels and different segments. These include, for example: teaching and research institutions, such as UFMG, CDTN, UFOP, Fundação Gorceix, and SENAI/CIT, among others.