UK-based mining giant Anglo American Corporation has announced its production results for the first quarter of the current year. In the first quarter, iron ore production from its South African subsidiary Kumba Iron Ore increased by 17 percent year on year to 10.5 million mt, due to improved mining productivity at Sishen mine, and higher throughput at Kolomela mine, while its Minas-Rio segment in Brazil produced 4.3 million mt of iron ore, rising by 30 percent year on year due to the ongoing ramp-up of operations. Kumba Iron Ore’s production guidance for the full year remains unchanged at 40-42 million mt.
Meanwhile, in the given quarter, Anglo American’s iron ore exports from Kumba Iron Ore totaled 10.05 million mt, increasing by seven percent compared to the same period of the previous year.
Anglo American's export metallurgical coal production in the given quarter increased by 28 percent year on year to 5.2 million mt. The company stated that its coal production was impacted by Cyclone Debbie in central Queensland, Australia, with production losses in the last week of March, while the impact on the rail network has been more material and is still being assessed. It is expected that this will impact sales volumes in the second quarter.