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Coal & Allied second quarter 2009 operation review

15th Jul 2009 07:31

RNS Number : 6816V
Rio Tinto PLC
15 July 2009
 



MEDIA RELEASE

15 July 2009

Production report for the quarter ended 30 June 2009

 

CNA 

2Q

3Q

4Q

1Q

2Q

1H

1H

'000 tonnes (100% basis)

interest

2008

2008

2008

2009

2009

2008

2009

 

Saleable production

Hunter Valley Operations 

100%

 

Thermal coal 

1,830

1,645

2,268

2,212

2,383

3,972

4,595

Semi-soft coking coal 

1,078

629

475

492

346

1,760

838

2,908

2,274

2,744

2,704

2,729

5,732

5,433

Bengalla Mine 

40%

Thermal coal 

1,607

1,296

1,402

1,126

1,438

2,659

2,564

Mount Thorley Operations (a)

80%

Thermal coal 

428

918

53

513

478

809

991

Semi-soft coking coal 

41

287

508

57

157

373

214

469

1,205

561

570

635

1,182

1,205

Warkworth Mine (a) 

55.6%

Thermal coal 

1,507

964

1,658

1,064

918

3,030

1,982

Semi-soft coking coal 

46

215

125

75

217

46

292

1,553

1,179

1,783

1,139

1,135

3,076

2,274

Total Mount Thorley Warkworth

2,022

2,384

2,344

1,709

1,770

4,258

3,479

Total coal production 

6,537

5,954

6,490

5,539

5,937

12,651

11,476

Total sales (b)

6,233

6,196

6,605

5,214

6,184

12,283

11,398

Coal & Allied share

Coal production

4,788

4,413

4,745

4,244

4,443

9,452

8,687

Coal sales ('000 tonnes)

4,660

4,625

4,810

4,044

4,629

9,231

8,673

Production can be sourced from either mining lease and is allocated over the year based on the tonnage commitment ratio contractually agreed between the Mount Thorley and Warkworth joint ventures.

Sales relate only to coal mined by the operations and exclude traded coal.

Production figures are sometimes more precise than the rounded numbers shown, hence small differences may result between the total of the quarter figures and the full year figures.

Production

Coal & Allied's share of saleable coal production for the quarter was 4.4mt, five per cent higher than the March quarter, and seven per cent lower than the corresponding quarter last year.

Wet weather continued to impact the operations, but to a lesser extent than in the first quarter. Hunter Valley Operations' production increased by one per cent on the previous quarter. Bengalla's coal production was 28 per cent higher than the preceding quarter, primarily due to improved mining conditions and a variation in coal seams, partially offset by delays associated with the commissioning of a new ROM hopper. Mount Thorley Warkworth's production increased four per cent from the March quarter, however was 13 per cent below the same quarter last year due primarily to an increased strip ratio.  

The production of semi soft coking coal is 38 per cent lower in the first half of 2009 compared with the first half of 2008. Semi soft coking coal production was increased in 2008 to take advantage of the high semi soft coking coal prices relative to thermal coal prices at that time.

Sales

Coal & Allied's share of coal sales in the second quarter was 15 per cent higher than the previous quarter largely due to the timing of higher domestic sales and available port allocation.

During May, a reduction of 1mt in the declared coal chain capacity was announced due to a rail outage caused by heavy rains in late March/early April. This will have an impact of approximately 250kt on Coal & Allied's annual port allocation for 2009.

Coal & Allied anticipates that full year 2009 sales volumes will be in line with the revised port allocation and will be broadly similar to 2008.

Other

There was no exploration activity during the quarter. 

For further information contact:

Media Enquiries:  Investor Enquiries:

Alison Smith Dave Skinner

(07) 3361 4223 / 0438 787 038  03 9283 3628 / 0408 335 309

www.coalandallied.com.au 

This information is provided by RNS
The company news service from the London Stock Exchange
 
END
 
 
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