Rio Tinto Q4 Global Iron Ore Production Up 6%

(RTTNews) - Mining giant Rio Tinto plc (RIO, RIO.L, RTNTF, RTPPF) reported fourth quarter global iron ore production of 70.4 million tonnes, 6% higher than last year, with global iron ore shipments totaling 72.4 million tonnes, an increase of 8% year-over-year.

On a year-on-year basis, quarterly mined copper production was 5% ahead of the prior year amounting to 172,800 tonnes, whereas total aluminium output down 4% from the year-ago quarter.

The company said it planned to produce 330 million tonnes of iron ore from the Pilbara in 2015.

"We have set new records for iron ore production and shipments as we ramp up our 290 expansion, as well as achieving an impressive recovery in copper volumes and record annual production for both bauxite and thermal coal," Chief Executive Sam Walsh stated.