Rio Tinto’s Pilbara iron ore sales rose 2% year over year in the third quarter. They totaled 85.7 million metric tons, exceeding market expectations. The company attributed the performance to strong operational efficiency and healthy port inventories.
Global iron ore sales increased 3% year over year.
Rio Tinto remains on track to release approximately $5 billion in capital by the end of 2026 as part of a broader optimization program. It has already released more than $2 billion year to date.
The company maintained its full-year guidance for Pilbara iron ore shipments at 323 million to 338 million tons.