18th Jan 2006 12:26
Rio Tinto PLC18 January 2006 Palabora Mining Company (Rio Tinto 47.2 per cent) issued the following statementin Johannesburg today. Cautionary announcement In accordance with the JSE Listings requirements shareholders and debentureholders are advised that the progressive cave induced surface subsidence hasintroduced a considerable amount of waste material into the bottom of the openpit. This waste material has in all likelihood now sterilised some ore reserveslocated in the side walls of the open pit which were scheduled to be extractedduring the latter stages of the mine life. This is not expected to impact mine production in the near term but may reducethe overall life of the mine in the longer term when lower grade material wasscheduled to be extracted. Shareholders and debenture holders are accordinglyadvised to exercise caution when dealing in the company's securities until afurther announcement is made. For further information, please contact: LONDON AUSTRALIA Media Relations Media RelationsMaria Darby Walker Ian HeadOffice: +44 (0) 20 7753 2305 Office: +61 (0) 3 9283 3620Mobile: +44 (0) 7725 036 544 Mobile: +61 (0) 408 360 101 Investor Relations Investor RelationsNigel Jones Dave SkinnerOffice: +44 (0) 20 7753 2401 Office: +61 (0) 3 9283 3628Mobile: +44 (0) 7917 227 365 Mobile: +61 (0) 408 335 309 David Ovington Susie CreswellOffice: +44 (0) 20 7753 2326 Office: +61 (0) 3 9283 3639Mobile: +44 (0) 7920 010 978 Mobile: +61 (0) 418 933 792 Website: www.riotinto.com This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock ExchangeRelated Shares:
Rio Tinto