Australian miner BHP Billiton has announced its production results for the first nine months ended March 31 of the financial year 2017-18, achieving an iron ore output of 175 million mt from its Western Australian iron ore operations, rising two percent year on year, supported by record production at Jimblebar mine and improved rail reliability. In the first nine months, BHP Billiton’s iron ore sales volume from its Western Australian iron ore operations rose by 2.36 percent year on year to 173.86 million mt.
BHP Billiton’s Western Australian iron ore production forecast for the financial year 2017-18 stands at 236-238 million mt.
In the first nine months ended March 31, BHP Billiton's metallurgical coal production fell by two percent to 30.63 million mt, compared to the same period of the previous year. The company’s metallurgical coal production guidance for the full financial year remains unchanged at between 41 million mt and 43 million mt.