RIO DE JANEIRO – Anglo American should restart operations at its Brazilian Minas Rio iron ore mine in November or December but a planned ramp-up to 26.5-million tonnes per year is likely to be pushed back to 2021 from 2020 as previously expected, the miner's Brazil chief said on Tuesday.

The company halted production at its Minas Rio mine after two leaks in March in a pipeline that channels slurry more than 500 km from the mine in Minas Gerais state to a port in Rio de Janeiro state.

It has been inspecting the pipeline from April through October, and is working to change out about 4 kilometers of it out of caution after it discovered cracks in the welding.

"We should finish the replacement in November. So everything is on track for us to resume operations in the fourth quarter. It could be in November or December," Brazil CEO Ruben Fernandes told Reuters on the sidelines of a commodities conference in Rio de Janeiro.

Purchased at the height of the commodities boom a decade ago for $5.5-billion, Minas Rio is Anglo American's biggest development project. The London-based company was once counting on Minas-Rio to produce 26.5-million tons of iron ore by 2016. As the project hit delays, it had shifted that output goal for 2020.

The company clinched two key permits to ramp up production towards that goal in January, but now expects to receive the key operating license in May, 2019. That means production is likely to hit that long-awaited target of 26.5-million tonnes in 2021.

"It would be around 2021. It is not a very firm date because it depends on the plant's performance," Fernandes said, adding that production should hit the target pace by the last few months of 2020.

Fernandes reiterated Anglo American's prior estimate of a $300 million to $400 million impact on earnings from the spills this year.

In June, Reuters reported that Anglo American had suspended a nearly $1 billion annual contract to supply Bahrain Steel with iron ore by declaring force majeure in April after the spills.

At the time, Anglo American declined to comment. On Tuesday, Fernandes acknowledged that the two companies were already in arbitration to renegotiate the contract prior to the declaration of force majeure following the spills.

He described the talks as friendly, noting that they include issues like volume and quality, in addition to the incident.

"Without a doubt they are an excellent client," he said of the Gulf-based company. "There is no reason why we won't reach a long term deal with them."

Fernandes said Anglo was also in arbitration with Ferroport, a joint venture it has with port operator Prumo Logistica, after declaring force majeure on that contract as well.