(Reuters) -Rio Tinto reported a 6% sequential rise in third-quarter iron ore shipments on Tuesday, despite planned major maintenance activities and infrastructure works which will continue in the fourth quarter.

The world's biggest iron ore producer shipped 84.3 million tonnes (Mt) of the steel-making commodity from its Pilbara operations in the three months ended September 30, compared with 79.9 Mt shipped in the previous quarter.

That marginally missed the Visible Alpha consensus estimate of 85.5 Mt. 

Four cyclones have disrupted schedules early this year, prompting Rio Tinto to forecast its 2025 shipments at the lower end of its 323 million to 338 million tonnes range.

The company is expecting total copper output for the year to come in at the higher end of its expected range, reflecting the strong ramp-up at its Oyu Tolgoi mine.