(Alliance News) - South32 Ltd on Monday reported mixed production performance for the first half of its financial year, and mostly kept its annual guidance unchanged.
In a quarterly report, the Perth-based mining group said alumina production fell 1.6% to 2.53 million tonnes for the first half that ended December 31, from 2.57 million tonnes a year earlier.
For the second quarter to December 31, alumina output rose to 1.35 million tonnes, up 14% from 1.18 million tonnes in the first quarter and was up 4.9% compared to 1.28 million tonnes in the second quarter a year before.
Aluminium production for the first six months was up 5.0% to 604,000 tonnes from 575,000 tonnes, Hillside Aluminium continued to test its maximum technical capacity, and low-carbon aluminium production from Brazil Aluminium and Mozal Aluminium increased by 12%.
Aluminium output for the second quarter was 306,000 tonnes on-quarter, down 2.7% to 298,000 tonnes. Compared to the second quarter a year before, production rose 6.6% from 287,000 tonnes.
Copper production rose 16% in the first half to 36,700 tonnes from 31,600 tonnes. In the second quarter, output was 19,100 tonnes on-quarter, up 8.5% from 17,600 tonnes and grew by 22% from 15,600 tonnes.
First-half silver production fell 15% to 5,916 ounces from 6,999 ounces. Production on a quarterly basis was 3,850 ounces, down sharply 86% from 2,066 ounces and was down 6.2% from 3,624 ounces annually.
Lead production was 16% lower at 49,600 tonnes in the first half from 58,800 tonnes. Production for the second quarter was 30,300 tonnes on-quarter, up 57% from 19,300 tonnes and was flat on-year.
Zinc production from July to December declined 21% to 22,900 tonnes from 29,000 tonnes. Output was down 11% to 10,800 tonnes on-quarter from 12,100, while it dropped 32% from 15,800 tonnes on-year.
Manganese ore production slumped 38% to 1.72 million wet tonnes in the first half from 2.79 million wet tonnes. Output surged 88% to 1.12 million wet tonnes on-quarter, from 597,000 wet tonnes, but fell 12% from 1.27 million wet tonnes on-year.
South32 said Australia manganese resumed production from the primary concentrator and progressed construction of infrastructure as part of the recovery plan.
"We continued our strong start to the year, maintaining production guidance for all of our operations except Mozal Aluminium, as we continue to mitigate the impact of civil unrest in Mozambique," South32 Chief Executive Officer Graham Kerr said.
The diversified miner maintained 2025 financial year production guidance for all operations, except Mozal Aluminium, where guidance was withdrawn in December due to civil unrest in Mozambique.
In Johannesburg, they were down 0.4% to ZAR40.59 each on Monday afternoon and were down 1.2% to 178.00 pence in London. They closed up 0.9% to AUD3.51 in Sydney on Monday.
By Artwell Dlamini, Alliance News reporter
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