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London - Anglo American 's iron ore production rose more than expected in the fourth quarter, recovering from trouble at the division's largest mine and copper output also rose to a quarterly record.
Iron ore was the largest contributor to Anglo's profit in 2012 and the mining group said output at its key Kumba Iron Ore unit rose by 25% to 11.3 million tonnes in the fourth quarter from the same period a year earlier, when it was hit by a strike.
Copper, the second largest contributor to Anglo's profit, also provided good news with production up 24% year-on-year to a quarterly record of 214 400 tonnes, driven by strong output at the Los Bronces mine, and higher grades at Collahuasi.
Equivalent refined platinum production increased by 25% to 520 300 ounces in the fourth quarter as a result of an increase in production from Mogalakwena, the company said.
An ongoing strike of platinum miners in South Africa is costing the company about 4 000 ounces of platinum production a day resulting in R100m ($9.11m) of lost revenue per day though.
In platinum Anglo is battling labour trouble but also a margins squeeze due to higher costs and lower prices.
Anglo, the fifth-largest diversified mining group, is wrestling with a turnaround effort under chief executive Mark Cutifani, after years of sector-lagging returns.
