In the first quarter of this year, Australian mining giant
BHP Billiton produced 31.16 million metric tons of
iron ore, increasing by 11 percent year on year but down four percent as compared with the previous quarter, due to weather related disruptions and project tie-in activities at Western
Australia Iron Ore.
Meanwhile, during the period in question,
BHP Billiton's metallurgical coal output totaled 8.16 million metric tons, rising by seven percent year on year and down eight percent compared to the last quarter of 2009. Cyclone activity resulted in the suspension of shipments from the Hay Point Coal Terminal in
Australia from March 11, 2010. During this period
production was constrained due to limited stockpile capacity. All mines had returned to normal operations by mid-April 2010. Hay Point Coal Terminal resumed loading on April 2, 2010 from one berth and on April 7, 2010 from both berths. Further testing and repair work is continuing, with completion expected by the end of April 2010.
On the other hand, the company's nickel output in Q1 2010 came to 43,300 metric tons, increasing by eight percent over the first quarter of 2009 and down 12 percent quarter on quarter.
Production in the March 2010 quarter was impacted by a restriction in hydrogen supply at Nickel West Kwinana in
Australia and by planned and unplanned downtime at Nickel West Kalgoorlie and Cerro Matoso in Colombia.
In the given period,
BHP Billiton's manganese ore output totaled 1.71 million metric tons, climbing by 133 percent year on year and up 11 percent quarter on quarter, while its zinc output stood at 46.6 million metric tons, up 18 percent year on year and down 22 percent quarter on quarter.