The record-breaking shipment was sent to Nippon Steel & Sumitomo Metal Corporation in Japan on the bulk carrier MV Onozuru Maru last month and was marked at a ceremony in Tokyo last night.

“Shipping five billion tonnes is a remarkable accomplishment and it is fitting that it was delivered to Japan, our first customer and valued long-term partner,” Rio Tinto Iron Ore chief executive Chris Salisbury said.

“The five billion tonne milestone would not have been achieved without the pioneers who developed the Pilbara more than 50 years ago and the hard work and dedication of the 11,000 Rio Tinto Iron Ore employees running the business today.”

The milestone was reached after Rio celebrated 50 years of Pilbara iron ore last year.

Rio’s first shipment of iron ore was 52,000 tonnes from Mount Tom Price on August 22, 1966.

The development of that mine and associated infrastructure was supported by long-term offtake agreements with Japanese steel mills.

Rio’s Pilbara iron ore assets comprise 15 mines, four ports, a 1700km rail network and Operations Centre in Perth.

 

Guidance for 2017 is 330-340 million tonnes.