MMX’s iron ore exports down 22.5% in 2012

Iron ore exports by Brazilian miner MMX declined by 22.5% in 2012, according to figures recently released by the country’s industry association, Sinferbase.

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Exports came to 1.99 million tonnes, compared with 2.57 million tonnes in 2011.

Iron ore shipments by Anglo American, meanwhile, increased by 25.3% year-on-year in 2012, from 4.82 million tonnes to 6.04 million tonnes.

In December, MMX’s iron ore exports were stable compared with the corresponding month in 2011, at 197,000 tonnes.

Anglo American exported 573,000 tonnes in December, up by 40.4% year-on-year.

Iron ore sales by MMX in the Brazilian market totalled 4.51 million tonnes last year, down by 12.4% compared with 2011, when it sold 5.15 million tonnes.

MMX’s sales in December, however, increased by 30.7% year-on-year, from 335,000 tonnes to 438,000 tonnes, according to Sinferbase data.