Peruvian iron ore output in June rose 185.4 percent, year-over-year, to 1.12 million mt, according to data released by the country’s ministry of mines and energy, Minem. On a monthly basis, iron ore output in June grew 5.9 percent from 1.06 million mt in May this year.
As for the first half of the year (H1 2021), Peruvian iron ore output totaled 6.04 million mt, 113.5 percent up, year-over-year.
The increased output in both June and H1 this year is due to the impact of Covid-19 in Peruvian iron ore output in 2020, as the country imposed a nation-wide lockdown, which took place in most of Q2 2020. At the time, output at mining and other industries were halted to contain the advance of the pandemic.
Minem said Shougang Hierro Peru, the nation’s key iron ore producer, accounted for 98 percent of all Peru’s iron ore output in June this year.