Western Australia's iron ore sector has finished 2025 with formidable strength, headlined by mining giant Rio Tinto breaking its all-time quarterly shipment record in a dramatic race to meet its annual targets.
A Record Quarter Seals the Deal
Exclusive December quarter export data reveals Rio Tinto shipped an estimated 90.8 million tonnes of iron ore from the Pilbara. This narrowly eclipses its previous record of 90 million tonnes set back in 2017. This powerhouse performance in the final three months of the year was crucial, lifting Rio's full-year total to approximately 326 million tonnes. This figure sits comfortably within the company's annual guidance range of 323 to 338 million tonnes.
The achievement is particularly significant given the challenges faced earlier in the year. Multiple cyclones during the March quarter wiped out around 13 million tonnes of production, putting the annual target in serious doubt. By October, Rio Tinto itself admitted the system was "tightly balanced" and that a strong December quarter was essential just to hit the bottom end of its forecast.
BHP Powers Ahead Despite China Standoff
Rio was not the only miner posting robust numbers. BHP's Western Australia iron ore unit also capped off the year strongly, despite a tense commercial standoff with China's state-run iron ore buyer, the China Mineral Resources Group (CMRG).
Reports surfaced on September 30 that CMRG had ordered domestic traders to temporarily halt purchases of BHP cargoes. The Chinese entity is reportedly pushing for significant discounts on spot sales and for more transactions to be settled in Chinese yuan instead of US dollars. Negotiations between BHP and CMRG are ongoing.
However, this pressure did not slow BHP's export machine. The company shipped 76.2 million tonnes from Port Hedland in the December quarter. This represents a 3.1 million tonne increase from the same period in 2024 and beats its previous December quarter record of 74.8 million tonnes set in 2022.
Fortescue and MinRes Maintain Momentum
The positive results extended across the sector. Andrew Forrest's Fortescue Metals Group saw its December quarter shipments rise year-on-year from 49.4 to 50.9 million tonnes. With 49.7 million tonnes shipped in the first quarter of the 2026 financial year, FMG is tracking well to hit the midpoint of its full-year guidance of 195 to 205 million tonnes.
Mineral Resources also remains on course. Its flagship Onslow Iron project hit nameplate capacity in October and shipped 8.5 million wet metric tonnes in the December quarter. Combined with output from its other Pilbara mines, MinRes is positioned to meet its FY2026 shipping forecast of 30 to 33 million wet metric tonnes from Onslow Iron.
Broader Implications for WA and Global Markets
Rio Tinto's against-the-odds success provides a major confidence boost for the company. This comes at a pivotal time, as it engages in high-stakes negotiations with Glencore that could potentially lead to a merger deal valued at over $300 billion.
The collective strength of the Pilbara's major players underscores the enduring, albeit complex, relationship between Australian iron ore and its primary market, China. The sector's ability to deliver record or near-record shipments amid logistical setbacks and geopolitical friction highlights its fundamental resilience and operational efficiency. For Western Australia and the national economy, these results confirm the iron ore sector's role as a continued powerhouse of export revenue as it heads into 2026.
