Strong growth attributed to its recent investments in copper and low-carbon aluminium capacity have positioned international miner South32 to deliver higher production and mitigate inflationary pressures into improving markets.
Group copper equivalent production rose by 12% for the Dec half-year (H1FY23) and CEO Graham Kerr says operating unit costs to be in line with or below guidance despite inflationary pressures.
S32’s production of alumina was 2.613Mt, marginally above pcp, and aluminium 568,000t (H1FY22: 494,000t). Payable production was 37,900t copper, 5.8Moz silver (6.7Moz), 52,400t lead (60,200t), 30,400t zinc (32,700t), 20,400t nickel (20,300t), 2.75Mt metallurgical coal (2.77Mt) and 2.94Mt manganese (2.76Mt).