12. Suppliers and contractors

The financial liabilities presented as Suppliers and contractors in the Company's statement of financial position represent the outstanding balance of invoices with suppliers for purchases of goods and services, being the average due date usually approximately 60 days.

The Company enters into supplier finance arrangements ("Arrangements") as part of the working capital strategy used in the Company's usual operating cycle, being the payment term extension limited to a short-term period. The Company is also party in agreements structured so that certain suppliers can advance their receivables with Vale due to purchases of materials and services, without any type of change in value or payment terms for the Company. These supplier finance arrangements continue to be presented as suppliers in the Company's statement of financial position, as the terms and conditions of the original liabilities were not substantially modified. The carrying amount related to these transactions is shown below:

Financial charges related to the increase in payment terms are recognized in the financial results as interest on supplier finance arrangements (note 6). The financial charges recognized in the income statement for the six-month period ended June 30, 2025 and 2024 due to the Arrangements totaled, respectively, US$82 and US$90.