Australian iron ore producer BHP mined 263mn t of iron ore in the July 2024-June 2025 financial year, beating expectations, and despite facing severe weather challenges over the year.
BHP had expected to produce at the lower end of its 255mn-265mn t range guidance because of disruptions due to February cyclones in Western Australia (WA). But its final output sat firmly on the upper end of the guidance, the company's 18 July production report shows.
BHP has set its 2025-26 financial year production guidance at 258mn-269mn t, on an equity basis. The increased guidance comes from both its WA mines and its 30mn t/yr Samarco mine in Brazil, which is currently ramping up to full capacity.
BHP expects to produce 7mn-7.5mn t of ore at Samarco in the 2025-26 financial year, up from 6.4mn t last year. It will also produce 251mn-262mn t of ore at its WA mines — in-line with the 257mn t mined in the 2024-25 financial year.
BHP's total iron ore output rose 1.6pc on the year in the April-June quarter to 70mn t (see table), driven by the ongoing ramp-up of Samarco. Production at the Brazilian mine hit 2mn t over the quarter, up 91pc on the year. The company produced 68mn t of ore at its larger WA mines in April-June, up 0.3pc on the year.
BHP's output in WA increased in the 2024-25 financial year despite facing weather-related disruptions in early 2025. The company had shuttered many of its WA mines in mid-February, as Cyclone Zelia approached the state's coast. But operations resumed just days after the storm passed through the hub and had minimal impact on iron ore production.
Elevated production at the company's 80mn t/yr South Flank mine fully offset the weather impacts. Production at BHP's Area C joint venture — including both South Flank and its Mining Area C operations — rose 13pc on the year in 2024-25 to 119mn t.
BHP's sales were flat on the year in 2024-25, declining just 0.1pc to 256mn t. Its product mix remained similarly stagnant, with iron ore lumps accounting for 31pc of sales, up from 30pc a year earlier, and iron ore fines accounting for 69pc of sales, down from 70pc.
BHP iron ore quarterly results | mn t | |||||
Apr-Jun '25 | Apr-Jun '24 | y-o-y Change (%) | FY25 (July '24 - June '25) | FY24 (July '23 - June '24) | YTD Change (%) | |
Production | ||||||
Western Australia | 68 | 68 | 0.3 | 257 | 255 | 0.7 |
Samarco | 2.0 | 1.0 | 91 | 6.4 | 4.7 | 34 |
Total | 70 | 69 | 1.6 | 263 | 260 | 1.3 |
Sales | ||||||
Lumps | 21 | 20 | 5.1 | 80 | 80 | 0.3 |
Fines | 47 | 47 | -1.1 | 176 | 176 | -0.3 |
Total | 68 | 67 | 0.8 | 256 | 256 | -0.1 |
Source: BHP |