Anglo American reduced its iron ore production by 2% y/y in Q1

According to its first-quarter 2026 results, the mining group Anglo American plc reduced its production of premium iron ore by 2% year-on-year – to 15.2 million metric tons. This is stated in the company’s quarterly production report.

The decline in volumes was recorded in both South Africa and Brazil. Production at Kumba Iron Ore’s facilities in South Africa totaled 8.8 million tons, down 2% compared to the same period last year. The main factor was a 15% year-on-year drop in production at the Kolomela mine to 2.6 million tons. The company attributed this to a planned reduction in finished product inventory at the site to free up space ahead of scheduled work on the railway infrastructure in the second quarter.

At the same time, production at Sishen, Kumba’s largest asset, partially offset the losses through improved raw material feed quality and more stable operations at the processing facilities. Kumba’s quarterly sales rose by 2% year-on-year – to 9.14 million tons, driven by improved operations at the Saldaña port and the availability of finished product inventory.

At the Minas-Rio complex in Brazil, production fell by 1% year-on-year – to 6.4 million tons. The company notes that stable results were ensured by better plant utilization and a more consistent supply of ore during the rainy season, although lower iron content partially limited output.

Despite the quarterly decline, Anglo American maintained its iron ore production forecast for 2026. For Kumba, it stands at 35–37 million tons, and for Minas-Rio, at 22–24 million tons. This indicates that the company expects performance to improve in the coming quarters.

As a reminder, global iron ore exports in 2025 rose by 2.6% year-on-year – to 1.76 billion tons. Australia remains the largest exporter, with shipments increasing by 2.4% year-on-year – to 924 million tons. Brazil shipped 419.8 million tons of raw materials (+7.6% year-on-year).