TORONTO (miningweeky.com) – Diversified Brazil-based miner Vale on Thursday reported record iron-ore output for the third quarter ended September 30, boosted by quarter-on-quarter gains in all its business segments.

Vale said iron-ore output was 85.7-million tonnes in the period, underpinned by the ramp-ups of Plant 2 at the world's largest iron-ore mine, Carajás, and of Conceição Itabiritos.

This was 3% more when compared with the same period last year and was 7.9% higher than the previous quarter.

For the nine months ended September, Vale produced 236.2-million tonnes, which was also a new record against the 232.2-million tonnes produced in the nine-month period of 2008.

Vale explained that Carajás output had reached its all time high at 32.2-million tonnes, 9.8% higher than the previous quarter and 7.9% higher when compared with a year earlier.

Excluding the attributable production of 3.3-million tonnes to Samarco – a joint venture between Vale and BHP Billiton that produces iron-ore pellets – Vale’s pellet production reached 11.4-million tonnes in the three-month period. This was an increase of 15% compared with the previous quarter and 17.6% in relation to the same period last year, reflecting the ramp-ups of the Tubarão VIII and Oman pellet plants.

Vale reported nickel output for the third quarter of 72 100 t, an increase of 16.9% on the second quarter and the best performance for a third quarter since 2008, despite planned maintenance at Thompson.

Third-quarter copper output was 104 800 t, up 29.3% over the previous quarter and 10.8% compared with the comparable quarter a year earlier, reflecting another operational record.

Vale's coal output reached 2.3-million tonnes for the period, up 5.9% quarter-on-quarter, mostly owing to the stronger performance of the Carborough Downs, Moatize and Isaac Plains operations.

The mining giant reported phosphate rock output of 2.2-million tonnes, a record output for a third quarter.