Australian miner BHP Billiton has announced its production results for the first half ended December 31, 2014 of the financial year 2014-15, achieving an iron ore output of 124 million mt from its Western Australian iron ore operations, rising 15 percent year on year as the ramp-up at Jimblebar continued and as the miner improved the availability and utilization rate of its integrated supply chain.
According to BHP Billiton, Western Australian iron ore production guidance for the given financial year remains unchanged at 245 million mt. The company said that further growth in supply chain capacity to 270 million mt per year is expected to be achieved without the need for additional fixed plant investment.
In the first half, BHP's metallurgical coal production increased by 21 percent year on year to 26 million mt as Queensland Coal and Illawarra Coal both achieved record half-year volumes.