By Rhiannon Hoyle

SYDNEY--Rio Tinto PLC said first-quarter iron-ore shipments from its Australian mines were 7% higher than a year ago despite weaker quarterly output, as the company sold from stockpiles.

The world's second-largest miner by market value said it shipped 77.8 million metric tons of iron ore from Australia's Pilbara region in the three months through March, even as output declined by 2% to 76.4 million tons.

Operations were affected by plant disruptions and above-average wet weather, Rio Tinto said. Labor availability also slowed maintenance of the mine processing facilities, said the miner.

Write to Rhiannon Hoyle at rhiannon.hoyle@wsj.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

04-19-21 1859ET