UK-based mining giant Anglo American has announced that it produced 6.4 million mt iron ore at its Minas-Rio project in the first quarter of the current year, increasing by 31 percent when compared to the same quarter of the previous year, reflecting productivity initiatives.
In the first quarter of 2020, the company’s iron ore production at Kumba decreased by one percent year on year to 9.4 million mt. Iron ore sales from Kumba mine remained stable at 10.7 million mt.
Besides, Anglo American’s metallurgical coal production amounted to 3.8 million mt in the first quarter of 2020, falling by eight percent compared to the first quarter of 2019, due to a longwall move at Grosvenor.
Anglo American stated that they are operating with a 50 percent level of workforce at Kumba iron ore operations in South Africa, but the production is expected to gradually increase through May and June. Also, the company said that Minas-Rio in Brazil is operating at normal levels in compliance with all requirements identified by the government in order to protect the health of its employees against the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.
Anglo American has revised down its Kumba iron ore production guidance for 2020 to 37-39 million mt from a previous forecast of 41.5-42.5 million mt, while its production forecast for Minas-Rio Project stands at 22-24 million mt, considering further coronavirus-related disruptions. The company has postponed the planned one-month production halt originally scheduled for the second quarter to the second half of the year. Moreover, metallurgical coal production guidance for 2020 is unchanged at 19-21 million mt, reflecting further coronavirus-related disruptions.