BHP records lower production

BHP records lower production

Australian BHP Billiton's carbon steel material production decreased in the last quarter of 2005. The company produced 24.61 million metric tons of iron ore in the quarter ended December 31, 2005, down 1 percent year on year due to heavy rainfall, while its production increased 2 percent year on year to 48.21 million metric tons in the six months. BHP's coking coal production decreased 7 percent year on year to 8.97 million metric tons in the quarter, while the production in the six months decreased 5 percent to 17.96 million metric tons. The production reduced at Queensland Coal, Australia and maintenance activities have been carried out at Blackwater. Manganese ore production of the company decreased 6 percent in the quarter to 1.28 million metric tons and total production in the six months reached 2.67 million metric tons, down 3 percent year on year due to lower market demand. Meanwhile, the company reduced manganese alloys production 20 percent year on year to 165,000 metric tons in the quarter and 24 percent to 304,000 metric tons in the six months.