Economy / WORLD

Kumba third-quarter iron ore output falls 19%

Production declined to 7.5 million tonnes while sales rose 3%; 2026 output guidance was maintained.

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Kumba Iron Ore reported that production in the third quarter of 2026 fell 19% year over year to 7.5 million tonnes. Output was affected by a planned shutdown of the dense-media separation plant at Sishen for the main tie-in of its UHDMS project.

The company said quarterly sales rose 3% to 9.955 million tonnes and closing stock stood at 4.8 million tonnes. It maintained its 2026 production guidance of 31–33 million tonnes; that range is a full-year forecast, not output already achieved.

Data

Key figures

Kumba third-quarter iron ore output falls 19%

Q3 2026 production
7.5 million tonnes
2026-07 — 2026-09 · Observed
Q3 2026 sales
9.955 million tonnes
2026-07 — 2026-09 · Observed
Closing stock at 30 September 2026
4.8 million tonnes
2026-09 · Observed
2026 full-year production guidance lower bound
31 million tonnes
2026 · Forecast
2026 full-year production guidance upper bound
33 million tonnes
2026 · Forecast
Methodology

Based on the company’s third-quarter report dated 20 October 2026. Mt means million metric tonnes; quarterly production, sales and stock are reported results. The 31–33 Mt range is a full-year 2026 forecast. Ore volumes are wet metric tonnes as stated by the source; Q3 flows cover July–September and stock is at period end.

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