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South32 CEO Mr Graham Kerr said "During the year we achieved production records at Worsley Alumina, Brazil Alumina and Australia Manganese. At South Africa Manganese volumes increased by 21 per cent, following COVID-19 related impacts in the prior year. Our base metals operations, Cannington and Cerro Matoso, both finished the year strongly, achieving 20 and 54 per cent increases in zinc We also made substantial progress reshaping our portfolio during the year, completing the divestments of South Africa Energy Coal and the TEMCO manganese alloy smelter, while progressing studies for our base metals development options at Hermosa and Ambler Metals. This, along with the release of our medium-term target to halve our operational emissions by 2035, positions us well as the world transitions to a low carbon future"
Highlights
Record annual production at Worsley Alumina and Brazil Alumina with both refineries benefiting from high plant availability
Record annual production at Australia Manganese and a 21% year-on-year increase at South Africa Manganese with both operations exceeding guidance
A 14% year-on-year increase in zinc equivalent production1 at Cannington with strong underground performance enabling the acceleration of a higher-grade mining sequence
A 9% year-on-year increase in production at lllawarra Metallurgical Coal with the return to a three longwall configuration delivering greater efficiencies
A 54% increase in nickel production at Cerro Matoso during the June 2021 quarter following the successful refurbishment of a furnace and first ore from the higher-grade O&P project
Steady year-on-year production and a 21% lift in average realised prices at our aluminium smelters
Successful divestment of South Africa Energy Coal and the TEMCO manganese alloy smelter during FY21. simplifying and improving our portfolio
Updated Mineral Resource for our Taylor Deposit2 at Hermosa. confirming higher zinc equivalent grades and improved confidence in the orebodyto support our ongoing pre-feasibility study work
South32 share in FY21
Alumina production - 5,361 KT, up 2% YoY
Aluminium production - 982 KT, up 0% YoY
Energy coal production - 19,561 KT, down 19% YoY
Metallurgical coal production - 6,170 KT, up 11% YoY
Manganese ore production - 5,793 KWMT, up 8% YoY
Payable nickel production - 34.1 KT, down 16% YoY
Payable silver production - 13,655 KOZ, up 16% YoY
Payable lead production - 131.8 KT, up 19% YoY
Payable zinc production - 67.7 KT, up 1% YoY