Anglo American has reported an increase in its iron ore, thermal coal, copper and nickel production for the fourth quarter, ended 31 December 2013.
Production from the company’s South African-focused business Kumba Iron Ore increased by 25% to 11.3 million tonnes in Q4 compared with the previous year, mainly because of strike action in Q4 of 2012, which impacted operations.
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Export metallurgical coal production increased by 3% to 4.7 million tonnes, with record full-year production of 18.7 million tonnes because of sustained longwall productivity improvements, particularly at the company’s Moranbah and Foxleigh sites in Australia, and Peace River Coal in Canada.
Export thermal coal production increased by 8% to 7.9 million tonnes during the quarter, as a 1% decrease in production from its South African operations was offset by a 24% increase in production from its Mt Cerrejon site in Colombia.
The company said its copper production had increased by 24% to 214,400t, driven mainly by better performance at its Los Bronces site and higher grades from its Collahuasi site in Chile.
Nickel production grew by 38% to 10,200t during the quarter because of improved operational stability of the furnaces at its Barro Alto site in Brazil.
The company’s niobium production increased by 20% to 1,200t and its fertiliser production rose by 2% in Q4.
Anglo said its platinum equivalent refined production increased by 25% to 520,300oz, as a result of an increase in production from its Mogalakwena in South Africa, the normalisation of production at Rustenburg, Amandelbult, and Union mines that had been impacted by the illegal industrial action in 2012.
The company reported a 13% rise in diamond production to 9.1 million carats, primarily because of increased output from Jwaneng following the recovery after the slope failure in June 2012, together with higher grades at Orapa and Venetia.
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