The average realised free-on-board wet metric tonne (wmt) export price for the Johannesburg Stock Exchange-listed company’s ore was a 15%-higher $136/wmt – or $138 per dry metric tonne (dmt).
Kumba’s 2%-higher first-half export sales of 19.7-million tonnes reflected a 7%-higher second-quarter boost.
A challenged first quarter was the main cause of total half-year production falling by 13% to 17.8-million tonnes.
Kumba's operational performance is improving in the face of operational and mining cost inflation headwinds.
Sishen has stabilised production following a tough, heavy-rainfall start to the year and a turnaround in performance throughout the rest of the year is expected at Kolomela, which experienced second-quarter safety intervention and equipment reliability challenges.