Rio's iron ore production falls 3%

Rio Tinto Ltd has blamed bad weather for a three per cent drop in iron ore production from the previous quarter to 42 million tonnes.

There were also falls in hard coking coal production (12 per cent down), mined copper (14 per cent) and alumina (four per cent) for the first quarter to March 31.

The results were expected following new quarterly and annual iron ore production records set in December.

Story continues below The company forecast iron ore production of 191 million tonnes for calendar 2011.

Thermal coal production was flat for the March quarter.

The capacity of Rio's Pilbara iron ore operations had risen during the quarter to a rate of 225 million tonnes a year, following expansion works at the Dampier port.

The force majeure, declared at four Queensland mines following monsoonal rains at the end of 2010, remains in place at the Hail Creek coal mine.