The processing of the chrysotile asbestos ore at the Cana Brava mine uses only physical, dry methods, without additive, in all treatment stages.

The involved technological processes are characterized below:

- Primary Crushing: a rotating crusher with rated capacity of 1100 tons/hour, which receives the rough ore blocks from pits A and B (ROM), with dimensions of up to 1.1 m, reducing them to a maximum size of 30 cm (from 10 to 12").

- Secondary Crushing: it has two operation lines. The line is comprised of a vibrating sieve and a topered crusher. The plant purpose is to crush the ore from the primary crushing and split it into two fractions. The fine fraction (~ < 30 mm – represents 25% of the supply) follows directly to the drying plant. The rough fraction (~ > 30 mm – represents 75%) after being submitted to secondary crushing for reduction of the granulometry (under 100 mm - about 4") comprises the supply of the concentration plant.

- Concentration: it has two lines in operation. Each line is comprised of three vibrating sieves, intercalated with two impactors, two fiber-makers and two rotating sieves with aspiration. The basic objective of the concentration is to produce concentrated ore with more fibers and with granulometry proper to the treatment of the usines (finer fraction - < 30 mm), disposing the rough fraction (> 30 mm - of low content). The fine fraction, for having humidity proper to the treatment of the plants, is directed towards the dry concentrated ore silo (SMS), which together with the dried ore comprises the concentrate. The rough fraction comprises the rough waste and is deposited in the disposal areas.

- Drying: the drying has three rotating-types horizontal ovens (combustion chamber and rotating cylinder) and a fluidized bed oven. The most humid fraction of the concentrated ore, which has been split in the sieving of the secondary crushing, comprises the drying feeding. The ore is dried by water evaporation, caused by the hot air produced by the ovens, in contact with the material. The dried ore, together with that deviated from the concentration plant, follow to a storage unit in covered silo (SMS).

- Dry Ore Silo (SMS): covered deposit, which supply is made by a Tripper-type system (round trip feeding), in order to allow a good homogenization of the ore in the input. The silo has 17 vibrating feeders in its base, which are responsible for the retaking of the ore, which will supply the treatment plants. The purposes of such ensilage system are to keep a strategic reserve of dry ore, promote the ore homogenization, allow constant supply to the treatment plants and allow the mixing of several ore types, to meet the production goals.

- Treatment Plant: SAMA's concentrate treatment plant has two treatment plants, which are in Plants 2 and 3. The plant objectives are to split the fibers per length, remove the impurities and classify them according to the specification of the product types agreed with the customers. The whole production batch is stored in silos for homogenization and is submitted to a rigorous sampling and laboratory analysis process, before being classified and released for marketing.

- Industrial Filter: the whole SAMA plant, from the primary crushing to the packaging, has pollution control filters and also for the generation of air for the industrial process. The industrial process for production of asbestos fibers is dry; therefore, it requires the air generated by the fans of the filters, for transport and pneumatic splitting. Each area has individual filters and the capacity is according to the air required for controlling the pollution and the process.

- Industrial Waste: the waste, that is, non-used material resulting from the processing and which consists in the residues of rock with low contents of fibers, originated from the ore concentration and from the treatment plant, is transported and placed on the disposal areas, for later recovery of the area. The control of fiber loss in the waste is made through a pilot plant designed for total recovery of the fiber comprised in the samples. After the analysis, the information is re-provided for the corrective measures, if required.