Australian miner BHP Billiton has announced its production results for the first half of the financial year 2018-19 ended December 31, 2018. The company achieved an iron ore output of 135 million mt in the given period from its Western Australian iron ore operations, declining by one percent year on year. In the second quarter of the same financial year, on the other hand, iron ore production in Western Australia amounted to 66 million mt, rising by nine percent year on year.
BHP Billiton’s Western Australian iron ore production guidance for the financial year 2018-19 stands at 241-250 million mt.
In the same half-year BHP Billiton's metallurgical coal production rose by two percent to 21 million mt, while it increased by six percent to 10.27 million mt in the second quarter, both year on year. The miner’s metallurgical coal production is expected to increase to between 43 million mt and 46 million mt for the financial year 2018-19.