Production increased by 27% to 6,100 tonnes, primarily due to an increase in production at Loma de Níquel which operated with only one furnace for part of Q1 2010 and was also constrained by power rationing imposed by the Venezuelan government in 2010.

First metal from the USD 1.9 billion Barro Alto nickel project was produced on schedule in March 2011. The new nickel plant will reach full production capacity in the second half of 2012 and will average 41,000 tonnes per annum over its first five years of full production.