BHP Group reports Q3 iron ore output 59.8MT, up 1% from last year

Reports Q3 copper production 405.9kt, up 10% from last year and Metallurgical coal production 6.9MT, down 13% from last year. CEO Mike Henry states: "Our WA iron ore business achieved record production, and total copper output for the Group was up for the nine months, while metallurgical coal volumes were down slightly due to significant wet weather. Overall copper production for the year remains on track, however we’ve reduced production guidance at Escondida and also at Nickel West. We continue to focus on safety, productivity and costs as we navigate ongoing challenges and inflationary impacts. Last week, OZ Minerals shareholders voted overwhelmingly in favour of BHP‘s offer. We are now focused on the safe integration of the two businesses and we look forward to building an internationally competitive copper business in South Australia and incorporating West Musgrave into our nickel options in Western Australia. We are pursuing growth options in copper and nickel globally – we aim to have up to 10 drill rigs on the ground at Oak Dam in South Australia in the next few months and have seen promising results from a potential new copper prospect in Arizona. In Canada, we signed $260 million (CAD) in new contracts with Indigenous suppliers in March, and construction of the Jansen potash project is on track. Recent engagements with customers in China and India have reaffirmed our positive outlook for commodity demand, with China’s economic rebound and solid momentum in India’s steelmaking growth helping to offset the impact of slowing growth in the US, Japan and Europe."