Brazil’s mineral production fell 17% in the first quarter of 2020, compared with a year ago, with the coronavirus outbreak’s impacts on the sector expected to deepen in the second quarter, industry group Ibram said on Wednesday.
Mineral output totaled 220.4-million tonnes in the first quarter, according to Ibram, whose members include the world’s largest producer of iron-ore Vale.
In addition to coronavirus, Ibram said in a statement that disruptions from heavy rains in Brazil, slowing global economic growth and uncertain financial markets led to the first-quarter decline in production and exports.