Rio Tinto has reported record iron ore production in the fourth quarter and increased copper output due to the continued expansion of its operation in Mongolia.
Rio Tinto’s Pilbara operations achieved record production of 89.7 million metric tonnes in the fourth quarter ended December 31, 2025, up 4 per cent from the previous year.
Total production for the year came in at 336.6 million metric tonnes, at the lower end of Rio Tinto’s forecast range.
Iron ore shipments were up 7 per cent in the quarter to 91.3 million metric tonnes. Rio Tinto shipped 326.2 million metric tonnes, down 1 per cent from 2024.
Rio Tinto CEO Simon Trott said: “Our operations delivered exceptional production performance, both on a quarter-on-quarter and full-year basis, as we leverage our strong foundation of operating excellence and project delivery across our portfolio.
“We achieved record quarterly iron ore production in the Pilbara, with a strong recovery from the extreme weather interruptions earlier in the year.
“At Simandou, we celebrated the major milestone of first shipment from the port; a testament to our ability to deliver major growth projects.”
Mined copper production on a consolidated basis grew 5 per cent to 240,000 tonnes in the quarter. Annual copper production grew 11 per cent to 883,000 tonnes, coming higher than the top end of the company’s forecast range.
“Record copper production continues following delivery of our Oyu Tolgoi underground project, another demonstration of our unique and diverse project capabilities,” Trott said.
“In lithium, we achieved production growth from our operations and in-flight projects as planned in 2025, as we build out our high-quality portfolio with discipline.”
Rio Tinto’s total lithium carbonate production in the quarter reached 15,000 tonnes, up 23 per cent from the third quarter.
The company’s lithium hydroxide output rose as its operation in its Bessemer City facility in the U.S. achieved record quarterly production, while record quarterly production at both Fenix and Olaroz was attributed to solid operational performance and seasonality uplift.
