Rio Tinto Q3 Iron Ore Output Up 2% - Quick Facts

(RTTNews) - Mining giant Rio Tinto plc (RIO, RIO.L, RTNTF, RTPPF) reported 2% higher global iron ore production of 68.3 million tonnes, versus last year, with global iron ore shipments totaling 68.0 million tonnes, an increase of 4% year-over-year.

On a year-on-year basis, quarterly mined copper production was 23% ahead of the prior year amounting to 162,300 tonnes, while total aluminium output rose 3% from the year-ago quarter.

Separately, the company announced that a $2 billion extension of the Kestrel Mine was officially opened today in an onsite ceremony near Emerald in central Queensland. This extension would add 20 years to the life of the Rio Tinto managed Kestrel Mine and increase hard coking coal's production to about six million tonnes a year.