Singapore 19/04/2016 - Rio Tinto’s aluminium production rose ten percent year-on-year and three percent quarter-on-quarter to 887,000 tonnes in the January-March quarter, the company announced on Tuesday.
The increase follows the successful ramp-up at its Kitimat smelter in Canada to an annualised rate of 420,000 tonnes in March 2016, and productivity improvements at its Saguenay smelters in Canada.
The company’s 2016 guidance for aluminium remains unchanged from its January forecast of 3.6 million tonnes.
Rio Tinto’s mined copper output fell two percent year-on-year but jumped 27 percent quarter-on-quarter to 141,200 tonnes in January-March.
The higher quarter-on-quarter output was due to higher grades at Kennecott in the US, improved thoughput and water availability at Escondida in Chile and a share of production from Grasberg.
Under a joint venture agreement with Freeport-McMoran, Rio Tinto is entitled to 40 percent of copper and gold produced above an agreed threshold at Grasberg in Indonesia.
Rio Tinto’s refined copper output fell 25 percent year-on-year but rose four percent to 51,300 tonnes in the first quarter.
Rio Tinto expects its mined copper and refined copper production at 575,000-625,000 tonnes and 220,000-250,000 tonnes respectively in 2016, unchanged from its expectations in January.