BHP iron ore output leaps to new high

Surging demand lifts production to over 32 million metric tons

MELBOURNE: BHP Billiton Ltd, the world's largest mining company, said second-quarter iron ore production rose 11 percent to a record as commodity prices recovered because of demand from China and developed economies.

Output of the ore, its biggest earner in fiscal 2009, was 32.45 million metric tons in the three months ended Dec 31, compared with 29.4 million tons a year earlier, the Melbourne-based company said yesterday.