Newcrest Mining Ltd, a leading Australian gold and copper miner, has reported a fall in the toal gold production during the third quarter of the financial year.

The company said that its gold production fell 14.8 per cent to 492,906 ounces during the quarter from October to December, 2012 compared to the same quarter of the previous year. The company had produced 460,425 ounces in the September quarter. The total copper production increased 9.6 per cent to 19,926 tonnes during the quarter compared to 18,598 tonnes recorded in the third quarter of the previous financial year.

Even as analysts expressed serious doubts over the company's ability to meet its full year guidance, Newcrest decided to keep its whole year targets for gold production, copper production and total site costs unchanged. The company said that the production for the entire financial year is expected to be in the range of 2.3 million to 2.5 million ounces. Newcrest expects the total production of gold and copper to significantly increase in the remaining moths of the current financial year.

Newcrest shares were trading 1.1 per cent higher at $23.81 after recovering from a fall.