In its fourth quarter operations review, the world's second biggest iron ore producer Australia-based Rio Tinto's global iron ore production increased by two percent compared to the corresponding quarter of the previous year.
In the given quarter, Rio Tinto's iron ore production was 66 million mt, two percent higher than the fourth quarter of 2011. For the full year 2012, the company's global iron ore production amounted to 253 million mt, up four percent year on year.
In 2012, Rio Tinto's operations in the Pilbara region of Western Australia produced a record 239 million mt of iron ore, increasing by four percent year on year, despite severe weather disruptions during the first quarter of 2012 and a significant scheduled shutdown at the Cape Lambert facilities in the second quarter. In late November 2012, Rio Tinto announced that its Pilbara capacity increased to 237 million mt per year from 230 million mt per year.
Rio Tinto subsidiary Iron Ore Company of Canada's iron ore production in 2012 was 13 percent higher than in 2011. Commissioning of the first phase expansion project, lifting concentrate production capacity to 22 million mt per year, continued. The phase two expansion to 23.3 million mt per year is progressing, with first production expected in the first quarter of 2013.
In the fourth quarter, Rio Tinto's Australian hard coking coal production decreased by 31 percent compared to the same quarter of the previous year, while the production for the full year was 11 percent lower than the previous year.