Iluka posts lower first-quarter volumes as planned

Australia-focused mineral sands and rare earths miner Iluka Resources has reported lower year-on-year production of most of its commodities owing to inventory management and a major maintenance outage in the quarter ended March 31. The company’s zircon/rutile/synthetic rutile production totalled 87 000 t, comprising 24 000 t of zircon sand, 13 000 t of zircon in concentrate, 37 000 t of synthetic rutile and 12 200 t of rutile.