Rio Tinto Q1 2022 Production Report: 4% Q-o-Q rise in bauxite output with third-party shipments grown by 12%

Rio Tinto, an Anglo-Australian multinational mining group, has published its quarterly production report for the first quarter of CY2022, whereby it has announced a 4 per cent Q-o-Q increase in bauxite output to 13.625 million tonnes. But on a year-on-year basis, it registered no change. Bauxite shipments to third parties also grew by 12 per cent year-on-year and 13 per cent quarter-on-quarter to 10.135 million tonnes in 1QCY2022.

On the other hand, the company’s alumina production recorded a 7 per cent decline year-on-year and 1 per cent quarter-on-quarter to 1.901 million tonnes, as a result of unplanned outages at refineries due to Australian sanctions on Russia. 

Aluminium production of 0.7 million tonnes in Q1 2022 also registered a downfall of 8 per cent year-on-year and 3 per cent on quarter due to reduced capacity at Kitimat smelter in British Columbia following the strike commenced in July 2021, although partially offset by continued stable performance across all remaining smelters.

Along with the production volume, Rio Tinto has also shared the measures taken for safety, health and wellbeing of workforce. It reported 0.33 injury rate, an improvement from the first quarter of 2021 (0.36) and an improvement against the prior quarter (0.41), even amid increased covid cases across all the operations.

Rio Tinto has also mentioned in the report that it entered into partnerships and progressed initiatives to accelerate decarbonising business and the value chain it operates. These include an agreement with the Tasmanian Government to jointly investigate how the Bell Bay smelter can help support the development of new industries.