Miner Vale sees iron ore output at high-end of 2024 guidance after Q2 rise
Adds BHP production in paragraph 4, analyst comment in paragraph 8.
RIO DE JANEIRO/SAO PAULO, July 16 (Reuters) -Brazilian miner Vale SA VALE3.SA expressed confidence on Tuesday that it would reach the high-end of its 2024 guidance for iron ore production after output increased in the second-quarter.
The company, one of the world's largest iron-ore miners, said in its quarterly sales and output report that production of the steel-making ingredient in the three-month period to the end of June rose 2.4% from a year earlier to 80.6 million metric tons.
"This quarter's performance reinforces our confidence in achieving the upper end of the 2024 production guidance", Vale said. The firm expects to produce 310 million tons to 320 million tons of iron ore in 2024.
Vale's rival, BHP Group BHP.AX, also reported its latest production figures, saying output reached a record high in the year to the end of June of 287 million tons. It forecast output of up to 294 tons in its fiscal 2025.
Output in Vale's latest quarter was boosted by a "robust performance" at the firm's S11D and Vargem Grande mining complexes in Brazil, the company said.
Second-quarter iron ore sales rose 7.3% from a year earlier to 79.8 million tons, boosted by sales of inventories.
The average realized price of Vale's iron ore fines was $98.2 per ton in the quarter, nearly stable year-on-year.
"We expect a slightly positive market reaction to these production results," Yuri Pereira and Arthur Biscuola at Santander said in a market note following Vale's report. They said Vale's report placed "upside risk" to their EBITDA estimates for the quarter.
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Vale's nickel output dropped 24.4% from a year earlier to 27,900 tons, mostly due to planned maintenance at processing plants, the miner said.
Copper production was almost stable from a year earlier at 78,600 tons, it said, noting that bi-annual maintenance at its Sudbury plant offset a stronger performance at Salobo and Sossego.
Vale is expected to release full second-quarter earnings on July 25.
Reporting by Marta Nogueira in Rio de Janeiro and Andre Romani in Sao Paulo; Editing by Aida Pelaez-Fernandez and Neil Fullick
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