Rio Tinto cuts forecast for aluminum, alumina and bauxite production in 2019

SMM10, March 17: Rio Tinto said in its July-September quarterly report on Wednesday that it expected its aluminum production to be low in the previous production guidance range in 2019, and that its alumina and bauxite production would be lower than previously forecast.

Rio Tinto produced 789000 tonnes of aluminium in the third quarter, down 3 per cent from a year earlier and 2 per cent from the second quarter. This mainly reflects lower-than-planned production at the ISAL smelter in Iceland, Kitimat in British Columbia and Becancour in Canada.

At the same time, alumina production fell to 7.7 million tons in 2019 from a previous forecast of 8.1 million-8.4 million tons. Alumina production in September was 1.83 million tons, down 7 per cent from a year earlier and 3 per cent from a month earlier.

On the bauxite side, Rio Tinto produced 13.8 million tonnes of bauxite in the third quarter of this year, up 9 per cent from a year earlier and 3 per cent month-on-month. However, the company still lowered its production forecast for 2019 to 54 million tons from 56 million tons to 59 million tons.

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