Swiss-headquartered miner Ferrexpo, whose main interests are in Ukrainian iron ore assets, has announced its production results for the fourth quarter and full year of 2021.
In the fourth quarter last year, the company’s iron ore production decreased by two percent year on year and was up by 17 percent compared to the previous quarter to 3.10 million mt. In particular, the company’s output of pellets totaled 3.06 million mt, increasing by 18 percent quarter on quarter and down by one percent year on year, reflecting the resumption of all four pelletizer lines following upgrade work in previous quarters. Ferrexpo’s output of pellets from iron ore with 65 percent Fe content totaled 2.96 million mt, up one percent year on year and up 23 percent compared to the third quarter.
In 2021, the company’s iron ore production increased by 0.5 percent year on year to 11.45 million mt, while its pellet production remained stable at 11.22 million mt. In the given period, Ferrexpo’s output of pellets from iron ore with 65 percent Fe content totaled 10.79 million mt, up 0.1 percent year on year.
Ferrexpo stated that the proportion of direct reduction 67 percent Fe pellets increased to four percent of its total pellet production in 2021, compared to three percent in 2020.