Mine of the future

Rio Tinto PLC
18 January 2008


Rio Tinto chief executive unveils vision for 'mine of the future'



18 January 2008



Key building blocks for automated mine-to-port iron ore operations are being
commissioned by Rio Tinto.  These include:

•         Mine operations in the Pilbara to be controlled 1,300 kilometres
away at a new centre in Perth;

•         Driverless trains to carry iron ore on most of the 1,200 km of
track;

•         Driverless 'intelligent' truck fleet; and

•         Remote control 'intelligent' drills



Tom Albanese, Rio Tinto chief executive, unveiled his vision of the 'mine of the
future' in Perth today as part of Rio Tinto's drive to maintain its position as
Australia's leading iron ore producer.   The Group aims to be the leader in
integrated and automated mining and transport in the Pilbara iron ore region,
leading to greater efficiency, lower production costs and more attractive
working conditions that will help Rio Tinto to recruit and retain staff in the
highly competitive labour market.



Major components of the 'mine of the future' are being commissioned in Rio Tinto
Iron Ore operations in 2008 and 2009 including establishing a Remote Operations
Centre (ROC) in Perth to manage operations in the Pilbara mines hundreds of
kilometres away.  This allows operators overseeing Rio Tinto Iron Ore mines and
process plant facilities to be physically located in Perth, Western Australia.



Remote control 'intelligent' trains, drills and trucks will be operational
within Rio Tinto Iron Ore during 2008. Humans will no longer need to be hands on
as all this equipment will be 'autonomous' - able to make decisions on what to
do based on their environment and interaction with other machines. Operators
will oversee the equipment from the ROC.



Tom Albanese said, 'Rio Tinto is changing the face of mining.  We have at least
a three year start on the rest of the industry, which has focused on discrete
technologies rather than modernising the whole mine-to-port operation.  We're
aiming to be the global leaders in fully integrated, automated operations.  It
will allow for more efficient operations and directly confront the escalating
costs associated with basing employees at remote sites, giving us a competitive
advantage as an employer along the way.'



Remote Operations Centre

A Remote Operations Centre (ROC) will be built for Rio Tinto near Perth's
domestic airport. When completed in 2009, the ROC will house at least 320
employees who will work with Pilbara-based colleagues to oversee, operate and
optimise the use of key assets and processes, including all mines, processing
plants, the rail network, ports and power plants.  Operational planning and
scheduling functions will also be based in the ROC.



ROC-based management would oversee pit and plant control, as well as manage the
most effective use of power distribution and support activity such as
maintenance planning.  Remote operation of RTIO mines and plant in the Pilbara
has already been successfully trialled.



The centre will feature an operational control room, office block and supporting
infrastructure, and allow for potential significant expansions beyond its
initial scale.



Driverless trains

Studies are being finalised on the application of Autonomous Train Operations
technology in a heavy haul capacity and are expected to lead to significant
efficiency benefits.  Mainline trials conducted with the Western Australia
Office of Rail Safety have progressed well and a decision on the next stage of
the project is expected in mid-2008.  Automated rail management is the first
major operation scheduled to be run from the Remote Operations Centre.



'Intelligent' driverless trucks

Rio Tinto will introduce into the Pilbara the industry-leading Komatsu
Autonomous Haulage System, which will allow for a fleet of 320 tonne off-highway
trucks to be operated without drivers. The system will be commissioned before
the end of 2008 and is expected to be more widely deployed in new and existing
Rio Tinto Iron Ore operations by 2010.



Remote control 'intelligent' drills

Rio Tinto is already using bespoke autonomous drill technology in the Pilbara to
support the 'mine of the future' strategy.



A pathway to fully automated mine-to-port operations

Rio Tinto began work on defining building blocks for the 'mine of the future'
over a decade ago and key components required for an integrated mine-to-port
operating system are being assembled and tested by Rio Tinto Iron Ore.



A number of key technologies have been introduced on a staged basis, beginning
in 2006 with the development of autonomous drilling rigs for the Pilbara.  In
early 2007, Rio Tinto established and funded on a long term basis the Rio Tinto
Centre for Mine Automation in partnership with The University of Sydney.  Under
this partnership Rio Tinto has secured exclusive access to world renowned
robotics experts dedicated to addressing Rio Tinto's 'mine of the future'
opportunities.



This year Rio Tinto Iron Ore will start running extensive trials at dedicated
mine test site.  Trials will combine the world leading Komatsu Autonomous
Driverless Haulage System with a range of other advanced remote control and
autonomous technologies in order to provide an industrial scale proving ground
and template.   Experience gained by the business will allow for further
deployments in the Pilbara in 2010 and will also have application at other Rio
Tinto mining operations.



The 'mine of the future' programme will provide opportunities for technology
driven performance improvements to support Rio Tinto Iron Ore's announced plans
to take annual global iron ore production beyond 600 million tonnes.



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, which
is listed on the Australian Securities Exchange.



Rio Tinto's business is finding, mining, and processing mineral resources. Major
products 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 North
America with significant businesses in South America, Asia, Europe and southern
Africa.





Forward-Looking Statements



This announcement includes 'forward-looking statements' within the meaning of
Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. All statements other than
statements of historical facts included in this announcement, including, without
limitation, those regarding Rio Tinto's financial position, business strategy,
plans and objectives of management for future operations (including development
plans and objectives relating to Rio Tinto's products, production forecasts and
reserve and resource positions), are forward-looking statements. Such
forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and
other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of
Rio Tinto, or industry results, to be materially different from any future
results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such
forward-looking statements.



Such forward-looking statements are based on numerous assumptions regarding Rio
Tinto's present and future business strategies and the environment in which Rio
Tinto will operate in the future. Among the important factors that could cause
Rio Tinto's actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially
from those in the forward-looking statements include, among others, levels of
demand and market prices, the ability to produce and transport products
profitably, the impact of foreign currency exchange rates on market prices and
operating costs, operational problems, political uncertainty and economic
conditions in relevant areas of the world, the actions of competitors,
activities by governmental authorities such as changes in taxation or regulation
and such other risk factors identified in Rio Tinto's most recent Annual Report
on Form 20-F filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission
(the 'SEC') or Form 6-Ks furnished to the SEC. Forward-looking statements
should, therefore, be construed in light of such risk factors and undue reliance
should not be placed on forward-looking statements. These forward-looking
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the City Code on Takeovers and Mergers (the 'Takeover Code'), the UK Listing
Rules, the Disclosure and Transparency Rules of the Financial Services Authority
and the Listing Rules of the Australian Securities Exchange) to release publicly
any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statement contained herein to
reflect any change in Rio Tinto's expectations with regard thereto or any change
in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based.



Nothing in this announcement should be interpreted to mean that future earnings
per share of Rio Tinto plc or Rio Tinto Limited will necessarily match or exceed
its historical published earnings per share.



Subject to the requirements of the Takeover Code, none of Rio Tinto, any of its
officers or any person named in this announcement with their consent or any
person involved in the preparation of this announcement makes any representation
or warranty (either express or implied) or gives any assurance that the implied
values, anticipated results, performance or achievements expressed or implied in
forward-looking statements contained in this announcement will be achieved.





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