PERTH (miningweekly.com) – Diversified miner South32 has set year-to-date production records in both Brazil and Australia, and has increased its production guidance for two other operations.

South32 on Tuesday reported that alumina production for the nine months to March was up 1% year-on-year to 3.93-million tonnes, but down 13% in the March quarter, to 1.2-million tonnes, compared with the previous quarter.

The Brazil alumina operation reported a record year-to-date production of more than 1.04-million tonnes, while the Worsley alumina project, in Australia remained on track to achieve its nameplate production capacity following the completion of planned maintenance.

Meanwhile, manganese production in the year-to-date was up 5% as the Australian manganese operations set a record production of 2.6-million tonnes, with group production reaching 4.3-million tonnes. In the quarter ended March, group manganese production was down 3% on the previous quarter, to 1.4-million tonnes.

South32 told shareholders on Tuesday that it has increased the production guidance for its South African manganese operations by 10% to 2.2-million tonnes, as the company continued to respond to market conditions.

The miner reported that energy coal production for the nine months to March was down by 13%, to 16.09-million tonnes, with production in the quarter down by 24% on the previous quarter, to 4.02-million tonnes. Metallurgical coal production in the year-to-date was up 20%, to 4.8-million tonnes, and by 12% in the quarter to 1.5-million tonnes.

The decline in energy coal production resulted on a decline of saleable coal production from the South African energy coal operations during the nine months under review, in line with reduced demand from Eskom. South32 is continuing to progress the divestment of the asset.

Meanwhile, South32 has reported that nickel production for the nine-months to March declined by 25%, to 23 200 t, but increased by 16% quarter-on-quarter, to 7 100 t, while silver production was up 10% in the year to date, to 9.4-million ounces, and up 11% in the quarter to 3.4-million ounces.

Lead production in the nine months to March increased by 13%, to 90 600 t, and by 6% in the March quarter to 33 000 t, while zinc production was down 3% in the year-to-date, to 48 200 t, and by 1% in the quarter to 17 800 t.

South32 has increased the zinc production outlook for the Cannington operation, in Australia, by some 10% for the full year, to 382 600 t, as a result of the continued strong operating performance and the expectations of higher grades in the June quarter.

“Strong operating performance across the portfolio during the quarter combined with improving prices for most of our commodities saw our net cash position increase to $517-million,” said South32 CEO Graham Kerr on Tuesday.

“During the period we returned $90-million to our shareholders via our on-market share buy-back bringing total returns under our capital management program to $1.5-billion.

“We continue to reshape our portfolio, moving closer to the divestment of South Africa Energy Coal while progressing studies for our base metals development options.

“Looking ahead, we expect the global economic recovery combined with fiscal stimulus to continue, driving a rebound in metal demand and sustaining higher prices for many of our key commodities,” Kerr said.