BHP Billiton first quarter iron ore production up 5 per cent

MELBOURNE - BHP Billiton said today that first quarter iron ore production was five per cent higher that the same period last year, and four per cent lower than its record previous quarter.

Iron ore production for the three months to September was 25.003 million tonnes.

The world's largest miner posted a four per cent dip in total petroleum products production compared to the same quarter last year to 30.52 million barrels of oil equivalent.

But copper production was negatively impacted by strike action at the Escondida copper mine in Chile.

Copper production fell by 19 per cent to 249,900 tonnes from the same quarter last year, also impacted by scheduled maintenance at Olympic Dam in Australia and the sale of Tintaya in Peru.

The diversified miner posted a record in quarterly aluminium production from continuing operations, excluding Valesul in Brazil.

Total aluminium production rose one per cent to 337,000 tonnes, while alumina production was up five per cent to 1.078 million tonnes.

Energy coal production fell nine per cent from the same period last year to 21.782 million tonnes, with a negative impact from challenging geological conditions at New Mexico Coal in the US.

- AAP