Samarco was born as a project in 1971, from the union of the companies Marcona Corporation and S / A Mineração Trindade (Samitri). While Marcona had experience in iron ore concentration and pelletizing, Samitri owned the mining rights in the “Alegria Complex”, in MG, rich in itabiritic ore - low in iron content and never before explored in Brazil. By investing in technology, they would transform itabirite, treated until then as waste, into a quality product, with an iron content of around 70%. In 1973 Samarco Mineração S.A was created, a pioneer in Brazil in the mining of low-grade iron ore and with its own integrated logistics operation, from the mine to the port. Operations began in 1977.