Australia-based
Rio Tinto, the world's second biggest
iron ore producer, has announced that in the first quarter of the current year its global
iron ore production increased by 12 percent year on year to 74.7 million mt. In the given period, the company's global
iron ore shipments amounted to 72.5 million mt, up nine percent year on year.
Rio Tinto said that, in its Pilbara expansion project, infrastructure is nearing completion and remains on track for delivery by the end of the first half of 2015.
Rio Tinto's Australian hard
coking coal production in the first quarter increased by 10 percent year on year to 2 million mt, as a result of improved
production rates at Kestrel South
As previously announced, in 2015
Rio Tinto expects global
iron ore shipments of almost 350 million mt from its operations in
Australia and Canada. The company's guidance for hard
coking coal stands at 7.1 million mt to 8.1 million mt.