JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – Glencore’s incremental ferrochrome smelting resumptions set production of the iron and chromium alloy on an upward path in the three months to September 30.

“We’ve continued the progressive restart of our ferrochrome smelting operations, with Boshoek restarting in September and Wonderkop in October, following Lion earlier in the year. As a result, attributable ferrochrome production increased 29% quarter on quarter,” Glencore CEO Gary Nagle stated.

Boshoek and Wonderkop are situated in South Africa's North West province and Lion in Limpopo.

“We’re pleased to report a strong third-quarter production performance, where our key assets largely performed in line with expectations and previously communicated guidance,” Nagle stated in a release to Mining Weekly.

After adjusting for copper disposals and closures at Mount Isa and Kidd mines, year-to-date copper production was 12% higher than the comparable 2025 period.

Quarter-on-quarter own-sourced production volumes were higher in copper and nickel steelmaking coal and energy coal.

"Full-year 2026 production guidance for our key commodities has been maintained, with zinc and energy coal expected towards the upper end of their respective ranges, copper and steelmaking coal towards the lower end and nickel around the middle,” Nagle pointed out.

As communicated in the company’s marketing guidance methodology update on October 2, Glencore expects 2026 full-year marketing adjusted earnings before interest and tax to exceed $5-billion.

In its third-quarter 2026 production report on Thursday, October 28, the London-, Johannesburg- and Sydney-listed diversified natural resource company reported 3%-higher own-sourced copper production of 598 600 t,15 100 t above the comparable 2025 period.

The increase in copper output was driven by increased mining rates and improved grades at African Copper, which produced 56 700 t in the quarter, and higher grades at Antamina, where third-quarter output was 32 300 t.

Own-sourced cobalt production of 13 700 t was 52% below the comparable 2025 period, reflecting the ongoing Democratic Republic of Congo cobalt export quota regime and a continued focus on copper production. Consequently, cobalt contained in mixed ore is increasingly being retained in solution rather than processed into saleable hydroxide, with value expected to be realised as export regulations evolve.

Own-sourced zinc production of 547 200 t was 23% lower and own-sourced nickel production a 4%-higher 54 600 t.

Attributable chrome ore production of 2 553 000 t was 7% lower and steelmaking coal production of 21.5-million tonnes 13% below the comparable 2025 period.

Energy coal production of 73.9-million tonnes was broadly in line with the comparable 2025 period.

Production guidance for 2026 remains unchanged.