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Mining group BHP said copper production was trending towards the low end of its guidance range, while metallurgical coal guidance was cut owing to 'significant' wet weather impacts and Covid-19 related labour shortages.
Guidance for metallurgical coal output in 2022 was cut to between 38 and 41 Mt from between 39 and 44 Mt. Production in Q3 decreased by 8% to 18 tonnes in the third quarter.
'The revision is a result of significant La Nina related wet weather impacts during the December 2021 quarter coupled with COVID-19 related labour constraints,' the company said.
Workforce absenteeism arising from the COVID-19 Omicron variant was anticipated to continue into the early part of the second half of the 2022 financial year, it added.
For the full-year copper production was expected to come in at low end of the 1.59 million to 1.76 million tonnes range after guidance at Pampa Norte was cut to a range of 260,000 to 300,000 from a prior range of 330,000 to 360,000 tonnes.
Copper production decreased to 365,500 tonnes in Q3, below the 376,500 tonnes in Q2.