Rio Tinto Q4 iron ore output soars, aluminium falls

SYDNEY, Jan 14 (Reuters) - Global miner Rio Tinto (RIO.AX) (RIO.L) reported on Thursday a 50 percent jump in fourth-quarter iron ore production, reflecting surging demand from Chinese steel-makers and setting an Australian mining record. But aluminium production fell three percent in the December quarter, compared with a year earlier, as the group continued to run some smelters below capacity. Iron ore output for 2009 exceeded 217 million tonnes, just above Rio Tinto's recently raised forecast for 210-215 million tonnes for the year. Spot iron ore prices .I062-CNI=SI have nearly doubled in the last year, while aluminium MAL3 has risen more than 50 percent, recovering from sharp declines in early 2009 at the height of a global commodities bust.