Commodities giant BHP (ASX:BHP,NYSE:BHP,LSE:BHP) has published an operational review for the half year of 2025, highlighting celebratory results at its copper and iron ore operations, including Australia.
BHP Chief Executive Officer Mike Henry attributed the positive price environment while recognising the company’s achievements, citing that copper was up 32 percent while iron ore was 4 percent higher.
Escondida, BHP’s flagship copper operation located in the Atacama Desert in Northern Chile, was said to have achieved record concentrator throughput.
The Chilean project is regarded as the world’s largest copper concentrate and cathodes producer, displaying a production record of 644,000 kilotonnes.
“Antamina has also lifted its production guidance, and Spence and Copper South Australia are tracking to plan, with Copper South Australia achieving record refined gold output,” Henry added.
The company’s South Australian copper assets include the Olympic Dam, Carrapateena, and Prominent Hill projects, which were recently highlighted in a copper outlook and review by the South Australian Government.
“BHP is the largest producer of copper in the world, and we expect to grow our copper base from 1.7 million tonnes to around 2.5 million tonnes per annum,” said BHP COO Edgar Basto in an October 2025 statement.
For iron ore, BHP reported that it achieved record first half production and shipments at its Western Australia Iron Ore (WAIO) operation.
WAIO’s production rose 1 percent compared to its previous record of the same period, having a total of 146.6 million tonnes of iron ore in the half-year to December 31.
Volumes from BHP’s 50-50 Brazilian joint venture Samarco were also highlighted, rising as a result of strong operational performance at the second concentrator following its restart at the end of H1 FY25.
Main dam commissioning at Samarco is advanced and scheduled for completion by 2029.
In a separate announcement, BHP updated its cost estimate for Stage 1 of its Jansen potash project, which is said to be on track for production in mid-2027.
From the previously estimated range of US$7.0 billion, the cost now stands at US$7.4 billion (including contingencies). The initial estimate of the investment cost in August 2021 was US$5.7 billion.
“As announced in July 2025, these cost increases have been driven by inflationary and real cost escalation pressures, design development and scope changes and lower productivity outcomes,” BHP said.
The mining giant said that it is entering the second half of financial year 2026 “with strong operating momentum.”
Half-year financial results of BHP are scheduled to come out on February 17.
“We’re investing for the decade ahead, with a significant copper growth pipeline and a pathway to approximately 2 million tonnes of attributable copper production in the 2030s.”
Securities Disclosure: I, Gabrielle de la Cruz, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.