Jim Cramer Calls This Mining Stock an Inflation Hedge “Just as Good as Crypto”

Jim Cramer just put a Brazilian mining giant in the same sentence as cryptocurrency, and his reasoning has everything to do with where he thinks inflation is headed next.

On a recent edition of CNBC’s Mad Money Lightning Round, Jim Cramer fielded questions from viewers. Two of Cramer’s clearest calls were to buy Vale (NYSE:VALE | VALE Price Prediction) as an inflation hedge comparable to cryptocurrency and to stay long Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) through an upcoming leadership change.

“Just as Good as Crypto”: Cramer’s Inflation Case for Vale

Asked about the Brazilian miner, Cramer said, “This is if you believe, as I do, that we could have rampant inflation down the road. This is one of the best places to do it. And I would actually use it as a great hedge. Just as good as crypto.“

Cramer is placing an iron ore, copper, and nickel producer alongside crypto as an asset for purchasing-power protection. The setup matches Vale’s actual Q2 FY26 mix. Iron Ore Fines generated $6.64 billion, Copper $1.56 billion (up 62%), and Nickel $1.24 billion (up 23%) in the quarter, with iron ore reference prices up 11% year over year, copper up 40% on the LME, and gold up 53%.

Vale reported revenue of $10.50 billion, up 19.2% YoY, and pro forma EBITDA of $4.07 billion, and the board approved $1.7 billion in dividends and interest on capital payable on September 1, 2026, alongside a buyback for up to 100 million shares over 18 months. Vale trades at $15.31, with a one-year gain of 56.52% and a year-to-date gain of 20.9%. Shares carry a forward P/E of 8 and an analyst target price of $16.74.