SYDNEY (XFN-ASIA) - BHP Billiton Ltd's output of aluminum in its financial first quarter ended Sept 30 was a record and its output of iron ore output broadly matched the record achieved in the preceding quarter, the company said.
BHP Billiton said aluminum output in its financial first quarter, at 337,000 tons, was 1.0 pct higher than a year earlier, with production at a record level.
Its iron ore output was 25.0 mln tonnes, 5.0 pct higher than a year before.
Alumina output rose 5 pct to 1.1 mln tonnes, helped by the expansion of the Worsley refinery in Australia.
But output of copper fell 19 pct to 249,900 tonnes, production having been affected by industrial action at the Escondida mine in Chile, the sale of the Tintaya mine in Peru and scheduled maintenance at the Olympic Dam copper and uranium mine in Australia.
Petroleum products output fell 4 pct, reflecting the suspension of production at the Typhoon/Boris field in the Gulf of Mexico in September last year because of hurricane damage.
Nickel output was 1.0 pct higher, at 44,500 tonnes.
Lead output fell 25 pct to 48,977 tonnes.
Zinc production dropped 18 pct to 24,011 tonnes because of the temporary partial closure of the Cannington mine in Australia and lower head grades at Cannington and at Antamina in Peru.
Uranium oxide output was down 27 pct at 793 tonnes because of maintenance at Olympic Dam.
Metallurgical coal output was 3.0 pct higher at 9,247 tonnes.
Output of energy coal fell 9.0 pct to 21.8 mln tonnes as the difficult geology at the New Mexico coal operation in the US offset improvements in its Australian and South African operations.
Diamond output from the Ekati mine in Canada was 43 pct lower at 487,000 carats.
BHP Billiton said equipment and labor continued to put pressure on costs during its financial first quarter.
The most important of the projects it is undertaking remained broadly on schedule, but tight labor markets and shortages of equipment and supplies continue across the industry, the company said.
豫公网安备41010502003434号