Rio Tinto, the world’s second largest iron ore miner has achieved a record five per cent production increase totaling 63 million tonnes in the September quarter.
Despite volatility in the� iron ore price of late, Rio Tinto will forge ahead with the next phase of its expansion with iron ore production targets of� 283 million tonnes a year by the end of 2013.
This year Rio expects to produce 250 million tonnes after having previously produced 187 million tonnes in the first nine months of 2012.
“Markets remain volatile, but our business is resilient and our operations are performing strongly,” said Mr Albanese, Rio Tinto’s Chief Executive.
Third quarter sales of 61 million tonnes were three per cent higher than the third quarter of 2011 and year to date sales of 170 million tonnes is up four per cent. This clearly is an indication that the investment Rio Tinto has made in automation over the last decade is starting to have a positive effect on how quickly they can get the ore out of the ground and onto ships ready for export.
Rio and BHP Billiton also have the lowest extraction and FOB costs in the Australian mining industry of around AUD$50 a tonne and with the current iron ore spot price of around AUD$100, the margins are still high, although nowhere near as high as the March 2012 price of almost AUD$144 a tonne.
“As we said at our investor seminar last week, the market remains somewhat volatile, however Rio is resilient and our mining operations are performing strongly, which is a reflection our consistent strategy of running large, cost-competitive operations, said Mr. Albanese”
RIO FAST FACTS
- Rio Tinto has 14 mines operating in the Pilbara region of WA.
- Plans to increase iron ore production from 230 million tonnes per annum to 353 million by 2015.
- Has 20 billion dollars worth of mining projects underway.
This is a positive outcome for people looking to get into the mines in the Pilbara region of WA.
There are still plenty of iron ore mining projects still to get off the ground in WA, creating hundreds of job opportunities in the sector. The three largest miners who have big investment in the Pilbara region are Rio Tinto, BHP Billiton, Fortescue and Gina Rinehart with the Roy Hill project.
If you’re looking to get into the mines and are considering a FIFO mining job in the Pilbara with Rio Tinto, one of the best things you can do is gather knowledge and information about the mining activities of the company. The more information you have, the greater the opportunities you can create for yourself in terms of knowing where to start look for mining jobs, what types of jobs are available, where the mines are, what types of minerals are being mined, who to contact, what training and certification you may need and where to send your resume.
For those who are interested, you can download the latest Rio Tinto “Third quarter 2012 operations review“. This contains insights into the operations of Rio Tinto and is a good place to start your mining education. Take a look at the Fortescue Metals Group Quarterly Report here, this is also a good source of information for people looking for Pilbara mining jobs and career opportunities at Fortescue.
The financial reports released by mining companies give you immediate access to their mining activities. From this information it is possible to gain insights into new projects and job opportunities before the recruitment companies are involved. This should be a priority for people who are serious about getting a start in mining.
Know your mining facts. Educate yourself and up-skill with the right mining courses and post-training support. For more information on mining training courses, contact Industry Pathways on [email protected].
Rio Tinto Pilbara Iron Ore Production Increases
