(Reuters) -BHP Group on Friday reported better-than-expected iron ore output for the fourth quarter and hit the upper end of guidance for both iron ore and copper output in fiscal 2025, helped by supply-chain strength at its central Pilbara hub.

The company had undergone a debottlenecking exercise at its Pilbara operations after the ramp-up of the South Flank mine last year. That helped boost its output in the June quarter, offsetting a weak March quarter that was impacted by two tropical cyclones.

In fiscal 2025, BHP produced 290 million metric tonnes (Mt) of iron ore, at the upper end of its full-year forecast of 282 Mt to 294 Mt. It expects to produce between 284 Mt and 296 Mt in fiscal 2026.

The world's largest listed miner said iron ore production from those operations on a 100% basis was 77.5 Mt in the three months ended June 30, up from 76.8 Mt a year earlier.

That beat a Visible Alpha consensus estimate of 75.90 Mt.

BHP's total copper production was 2.02 Mt for fiscal 2025, at the upper end of its guidance range and in line with a Visible Alpha consensus estimate of 2.0 Mt.

(Reporting by Roushni Nair and Roshan Thomas in Bengaluru; Editing by Devika Syamnath)