Cerrado Gold and BHP report divergent mining production results

Cerrado Gold reported a 21% increase in gold equivalent production at its Don Nicolás mine in Santa Cruz, Argentina, during the third quarter of 2026. The company produced 16,685 gold equivalent ounces, up from 13,832 ounces in the same period the previous year. Year-to-date production reached 44,942 ounces, a 23% increase compared to 2025. The company attributed this growth to operational improvements in heap leaching and crushing processes.

In contrast, mining giant BHP reported a decline in copper production. For the July-September period, BHP produced 400,700 tonnes of copper, a 19% decrease compared to both the previous quarter and the same period in 2025. This decline was driven largely by a 19% drop in output at Escondida, the world’s largest copper mine in Chile, which produced 252,600 tonnes. BHP CEO Brandon Craig cited planned decreases in ore grades, scheduled maintenance, adverse weather in Chile, and safety-related shutdowns as primary factors for the decrease.

Despite the production drop, BHP noted that rising commodity prices, particularly for copper, helped offset some impacts. The company remains focused on long-term growth projects, including the New Escondida Concentrator in Chile and developments in South Australia.