16th Jan 2008 07:03
Rio Tinto PLC16 January 2008 Date: 16 January 2008 Ref: PR598g Rio Tinto's 75.7 per cent owned subsidiary, Coal & Allied Industries Limited,issued the following news release in Australia. All dollars are Australiancurrency. Coal & Allied Production report for the quarter ended 31 December 2007 CNA 4Q 1Q 2Q 3Q 4Q 12 months 12 months'000 tonnes (100% basis) interest 2006 2007 2007 2007 2007 2006 2007Hunter Valley Operations 100%Thermal coal production 2,264 2,316 2,020 1,883 2,046 10,221 8,264Semi-soft coking coal production 616 331 381 460 657 1,804 1,830Bengalla Mine 40%Thermal coal production 1,433 1,315 1,070 1,394 1,376 5,545 5,155Mount Thorley Operations (a) 80%Thermal coal production 857 657 280 261 731 2,902 1,929Semi-soft coking coal production 124 163 137 393 302 993 995Warkworth Mine (a) 55.6%Thermal coal production 1,686 1,343 1,172 1,663 1,197 7,014 5,376Semi-soft coking coal production 130 51 216 133 0 327 400Total coal production 7,110 6,177 5,276 6,186 6,310 28,806 23,949Total sales (b) 6,450 6,671 5,725 6,218 6,908 27,634 25,522Coal & Allied shareCoal production 5,248 4,605 3,934 4,422 4,746 21,439 17,706Coal sales ('000 tonnes) 4,769 4,995 4,320 4,531 5,087 20,410 18,933 (a) Production can be sourced from either mining lease and is allocated overthe year based on the tonnage commitment ratio contractually agreed between theMount Thorley and Warkworth joint ventures. (b) Sales relate only to coal mined by the operations and exclude tradedcoal. Production figures are sometimes more precise than the rounded numbers shown,hence small differences may result between the total of the quarter figures andthe full year figures. Production Constraints in the Hunter Valley coal chain continued to limit coal production.Total coal produced in the fourth quarter was 11 per cent lower than thecorresponding quarter in 2006 and two per cent higher than the third quarter of2007. There were no material operational issues impacting on Q4 production. 2007 full year total coal production was 17 per cent lower than 2006 due to coalchain infrastructure constraints and severe weather conditions in June 2007. Sales Coal sales in the fourth quarter were in line with allocated port capacity. 2007total sales were seven percent higher than production as a result of drawingdown of inventories. Other There was no exploration activity during the quarter. About Rio Tinto Rio Tinto is a leading international mining group headquartered in the UK,combining Rio Tinto plc, a London listed company, and Rio Tinto Limited, whichis listed on the Australian Securities Exchange. Rio Tinto's business is finding, mining, and processing mineral resources. Majorproducts are aluminium, copper, diamonds, energy (coal and uranium), gold,industrial minerals (borax, titanium dioxide, salt, talc) and iron ore.Activities span the world but are strongly represented in Australia and NorthAmerica with significant businesses in South America, Asia, Europe and southernAfrica. For further information, please contact:Media Relations, London Media Relations, Australia Christina Mills Amanda Buckley Office: +44 (0) 20 8080 1306 Office: +61 (0) 3 9283 3627 Mobile: +44 (0) 7825 275 605 Mobile: +61 (0) 419 801 349 Nick Cobban Ian Head Office: +44 (0) 20 8080 1305 Office: +61 (0) 3 9283 3620 Mobile: +44 (0) 7920 041 003 Mobile: +61 (0) 408 360 101Media Relations, Americas Nancy Ives Mobile: +1 619 540 3751Investor Relations, London Investor Relations, Australia Nigel Jones Dave Skinner Office: +44 (0) 20 7781 2049 Office: +61 (0) 3 9283 3628 Mobile: +44 (0) 7917 227365 Mobile: +61 (0) 408 335 309 David Ovington Simon Ellinor Office: +44 (0) 20 7781 2051 Office: +61 (0) 7 3867 1607 Mobile: +44 (0) 7920 010 978 Mobile: +61 (0) 439 102 811 Investor Relations, North America Jason Combes Office: +1 (0) 801 685 4535 Mobile: +1 (0) 801 558 2645 Email: [email protected] Website: www.riotinto.com High resolution photographs available at: www.newscast.co.uk This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock ExchangeRelated Shares:
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