Diversified mining major BHP Billiton has reported that its Western Australian iron ore totaled 42.2 million tonnes for the second quarter of 2012-13 fiscal year.
The figures represent a 3% increase over the corresponding period in the previous fiscal.
Iron-ore production for the first half of the fiscal totaled 82 million tonnes, up 2% year-on-year.
BHP said in a statement, "Our Pilbara operations achieved another significant milestone during the December 2012 quarter with first ore received by the recently installed fifth car dumper at Finucane Island.
"This car dumper is the last major piece of infrastructure required to increase WAIO port capacity from the December 2012 quarter run-rate of 188 million tonnes per annum to 220 million tonnes per annum (100 per cent basis)."
The company reported a negative growth of 5% in Aluminum production while Nickel was also down at 10% negative growth.
Copper and Uranium oxides posted healthy returns of 14% and 8% growth, respectively.
Energy coal production also increased by 7% to 37,863 tonnes in the first half of the fiscal.