Rio Tinto (LSE:RIO) said on Monday that operations have restarted at three of its four iron ore export terminals in Western Australia’s Pilbara region after Tropical Cyclone Narelle disrupted activity, although the company maintained its annual shipment guidance.
The cyclone brought heavy rainfall and power outages to parts of Australia’s northeast coast earlier this month, prompting the miner to temporarily suspend operations at two of its bauxite mines. Other producers were also affected, with South32 halting activity at the Gemco manganese mine it jointly owns with Anglo American.
Narelle struck Australia’s northwest coastline last week, leading to the closure of several ports across the Pilbara, one of the world’s most important iron ore producing regions.
Rio, the world’s largest iron ore producer, said ship loading at three of its Pilbara terminals resumed on March 28 after the facilities had been shut since March 24.
Shipping at Cape Lambert A, the fourth terminal that is currently undergoing repairs, is expected to recommence “in the coming days”, the company said.
According to Rio, two tropical cyclones that passed through the region in February and March are estimated to have reduced its iron ore shipments by about eight million metric tons. The company added that it has “identified a pathway to recover around half of these losses.”
Despite the disruption, Rio maintained its guidance for Pilbara iron ore shipments in 2026 at between 323 million and 338 million tons.
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