In the third quarter of the current year, the global iron ore production of Australia-based Rio Tinto, the world's second biggest iron ore producer, increased by two percent to 68.3 million mt compared to the third quarter of 2012, setting a new quarterly record, as announced in the company's second quarter operations review. In the first nine months this year, the company's iron ore shipments amounted to 186.6 million mt, up four percent year on year.
In the first nine months, Rio Tinto's Australian hard coking coal production decreased by six percent to 2.25 million mt, compared to the same period of the previous year.
According to Rio Tinto's statement, in iron ore, the company achieved record production and shipments in its Western Australian operations following the official opening of its landmark Pilbara 290 million mt port and rail expansion, four months ahead of its original schedule and $400 million under budget. The ramp-up to nameplate capacity will continue through to the end of the first half of 2014.
Rio Tinto stated that 2013 production guidance is unchanged at approximately 265 million mt from global operations in Australia and Canada, subject to weather constraints.