JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – Diversified mining company Anglo American on Tuesday, October 20, reported 5% lower copper production, 4% lower iron-ore production, and 11% lower diamond production for the three months to September 30.

Third-quarter copper production from South American countries Chile and Peru lowered overall copper production to 174 900 t.

In Chile, Anglo's attributable share of Collahuasi copper production decreased by 11% and production from El Soldado was down by 12%.

The average year-to-date copper price for Copper Chile of 628c/lb was above the average London Metal Exchange (LME) price of 609c/lb.

In Peru, third-quarter production at Quellaveco was 3% lower and the average year-to-date copper price for Copper Peru was 617c/lb, also above the LME price.

“We’re on track to meet our 2026 guidance, supported by the planned improvement in copper ore grades in the fourth quarter,” Anglo CEO Duncan Wanblad stated in a Johannesburg Stock Exchange news service announcement sourced by Mining Weekly.

Copper production guidance for 2026 is 700 000 t to 760 000 t.

“In copper, Quellaveco production increased from the second quarter, benefiting from the expected improvement in the ore grades, while record snowfall and related unplanned maintenance later in the third quarter affected production in Chile,” Wanblad reported.

In iron-ore, Minas-Rio in Brazil benefited from higher plant availability and while South Africa’s Kumba Iron Ore's tie-in of its first ultra-high-dense-media-separation module reduced production as planned, Kumba’s third-quarter sales were a 3%-higher ten-million tons supported by the drawdown of finished stock.

“We continue to manage controllable costs tightly, particularly in the context of pressures from energy input cost volatility and higher ocean freight rates impacting spot iron-ore price realisations,” Wanblad pointed out.

Anglo’s sale of its steelmaking coal business in Australia to Dhilmar for up to $3.875-billion in cash is expected to be completed by the first quarter of 2027.

Work is also continuing through the European Commission's regulatory approval process for the agreed sale of the company’s nickel business.

“At De Beers, we continue to work towards a transaction in a challenging market, having taken decisive action to protect cash and preserve value.

"Our merger with Teck to form a copper-focused global metals and minerals champion continues to progress and integration planning is now at an advanced stage.

“We continue to engage constructively with China's anti-trust regulator, with this being the final outstanding regulatory milestone required for completion. Expected completion timing by March 2027 remains unchanged," added Wanblad.

Manganese ore production increased by 6% to 1 031 400 t, reflecting increased operating levels in Australia and improved productivity and operating improvements in South Africa.