Rio Tinto reported an increase in second-quarter iron ore sales on Wednesday, with stronger performance in its Pilbara iron ore operations offsetting weaker copper output across the group. The company held its major 2026 production guidance steady.
On a global basis, iron ore sales rose 5% year-on-year to 88.8 million metric tons in the second quarter. Pilbara iron ore sales climbed 7% to 85.3 million tons in the quarter, representing the highest quarterly Pilbara sales volume since 2020.
Pilbara production on a 100% basis remained steady year-on-year at 83.5 million tons during the quarter, while Rio Tinto said first-half Pilbara production increased 6%.
Chief Executive Simon Trott said copper equivalent production increased 3% in the first half. He attributed that improvement to record first-half Pilbara iron ore output since 2018, continued ramp-up at the Oyu Tolgoi copper mine and resilient aluminium operations despite geopolitical uncertainty.
Despite the rise in copper equivalent output for the first half, consolidated copper production fell 7% year-on-year to 213,000 metric tons in the quarter. The decline reflected lower output at Kennecott and Escondida, although first-half consolidated copper production was modestly higher, edging up 1%.
Separately, Rio Tinto revised its 2026 copper C1 net unit cost guidance down to 30-50 U.S. cents per pound from a prior range of 65-75 cents. The company cited higher gold prices and productivity gains as factors supporting the lower C1 guidance.
Rio Tinto reiterated that it had left all of its major 2026 production guidance unchanged. The company said operational impacts from the Middle East conflict had been limited to date, but it continues to monitor associated risks around the Strait of Hormuz and broader global supply chains.
Taken together, the quarter reflected a divergence between iron ore, where Pilbara strength drove volumes to multi-year quarterly highs, and copper, where output pressures at specific assets weighed on quarterly results. Management emphasized steady full-year production expectations and adjusted cost assumptions for copper in response to price and productivity developments.