By Rhiannon Hoyle
SYDNEY--Rio Tinto PLC reported a fall in quarterly iron-ore
shipments as it faced setbacks from bad weather and a train
derailment at its operations in Western Australia.
The Anglo-Australian miner reported global iron-ore shipments of
72.5 million metric tons during the three months through March,
down 12% on the quarter immediately prior. It said sales were
hampered by disruptions from Tropical Cyclone Olwyn and the train
derailment, which temporarily blocked a circuit at Dampier
port.
Still, shipments were up 9% on year as the mining company--the
world's second-largest exporter of the steelmaking
commodity--expanded its operations in Australia's iron-rich Pilbara
region.
It meanwhile reported a 12% on-quarter rise in mined copper
output, to 144,100 tons, underpinned by sharply higher output at
the Escondida mine in Chile.
Write to Rhiannon Hoyle at rhiannon.hoyle@wsj.com
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