The miner said it produced and shipped slightly less of the steelmaking ingredient iron ore in 2024, but mined more copper, bauxite and made more aluminum.

Rio Tinto Group, the world’s top iron ore exporter, said shipments of the steelmaking material slipped in the fourth quarter, as demand from China remained lackluster and production at some mines declined.

Rio Tinto reported a 1% decline in its fourth-quarter iron ore shipments on Thursday, as the miner faced operational headwinds at the Yandicoogina and Paraburdoo mines in the Pilbara region.