Australian miner BHP Billiton has announced its production results for the first nine months ended March 31 of the financial year 2018-19. The company achieved an iron ore output of 175 million mt in the given period from its Western Australian iron ore operations, remaining stable year on year. In the third quarter of the same financial year, on the other hand, iron ore production in Western Australia amounted to 56 million mt, falling by three percent year on year.
BHP Billiton’s Western Australian iron ore production guidance for the financial year 2018-19 has been reduced to 235-239 million mt, reflecting a 6 million mt to 8 million mt impact from Tropical Cyclone Veronica. The miner said that, while its facilities did not sustain major damage as a result of the cyclone, the port ramp-up was slowed by localized flooding, processing of wet material, and equipment assessments.
In the first nine months, BHP Billiton's metallurgical coal production remained unchanged at 30.5 million mt, while it decreased by five percent to 9.87 million mt in the third quarter, both year on year. The miner’s metallurgical coal production guidance remains at between 43 million mt and 46 million mt for the financial year 2018-19.