Australia-based Rio Tinto, the world's second biggest iron ore producer, has announced that in the second quarter of the current year iron ore production from its Pilbara operations in Western Australia decreased by one percent year on year to 79.8 million mt. In the given quarter, the company's iron ore shipments from its Pilbara operations amounted to 77.7 million mt, falling by six percent from the same quarter of the previous year, reflecting accelerated rail maintenance activity in the second quarter.
Rio Tinto stated that further rail maintenance will continue throughout the remainder of the current year, albeit at a lower level than in the second quarter. The company expects its Pilbara iron ore shipments in 2017 to be around 330 million mt, subject to weather conditions. The previous iron ore shipment guidance for this year stood between 330 and 340 million mt.
Meanwhile, Rio Tinto's Australian hard coking coal production in the second quarter declined by 14 percent to 1.55 million mt compared to the corresponding quarter of the previous year, due to the impact of Cyclone Debbie on the company’s Hail Creek mine, where pit access was restricted by water.