Quarterly Production Report - Part 1

Rio Tinto PLC
28 April 2000


Part 1

                    Rio Tinto Quarterly Production Report                     
                     For the Quarter ending 31 March 2000                     

 
 - Iron ore production in the first quarter of 2000 was 24% higher than the
   same quarter in 1999 and 5% higher than the last quarter of 1999. Shipments
   were 41% higher than in the comparable quarter of 1999 reflecting the
   upturn in the steel industry. 
 
 - Aluminium production was down 1% on the last quarter of 1999 but 7%
   higher than the comparable quarter in 1999 reflecting continuing good
   performance at the smelters and Rio Tinto's increased stake in Comalco. 
 
 - Copper production fell by 3% compared with the previous quarter and 7%
   compared with the comparable quarter in 1999 generally due to lower grades 
    at most mines. 
 
 - Coal production was 4% lower compared with the comparable quarter in
   1999 and 13% lower than in the last quarter of 1999, due in part to the
   seasonal demand patterns in the US. 
 
 - Gold production fell 10% compared with the comparable quarter of 1999
   and 18% compared with the last quarter of 1999 due primarily to a
   significantly lower contribution from Grasberg. 
 
 - Borate production was in line with production in the first quarter of
   1999. Titanium dioxide feedstock production was unchanged. 
 
For further information contact:
 
Media Relations                     Investor Relations 
 
John Hughes                         Peter Jarvis
+ 44 20 7753 2331                   + 44 20 7753 2401
 
Website: www.riotinto.com



RIO TINTO PRODUCTION SUMMARY
                                                 
                                   QUARTER             FULL        % CHANGE   

                                                       YEAR                   
  Principal                1999      1999     2000     1999     Q1 00   Q1 00 
  Commodities               Q1        Q4         Q1               vs      vs  
                                                                Q4 99   Q1 99 
  Copper -      
  mined        ('000 t)     220.1    211.8    204.5     859.8      -3%    -7% 
                                                             
  Copper -      
  refined      ('000 t)      83.8    104.3     98.3     388.2      -6%    17% 
                                                             
  Gold -                  
  mined      ('000 ozs)       712      785      640     2,987     -18%   -10% 
                                                
  Gold -                  
  refined    ('000 ozs)        82       96       80       346     -16%    -2% 
                                              
  Iron ore     ('000 t)    11,535   13,579   14,321    51,830       5%    24% 
  Coal         ('000 t)    32,616   35,904   31,243   139,177     -13%    -4% 
  Aluminium    ('000 t)     133.4    143.6    142.5     557.8      -1%     7% 
  Borates      ('000 t)       146      132      145       561      10%     0% 
  Titanium     
  dioxide                                                                     
  feedstock    ('000 t)       377      350      349     1,428       0%    -7% 
                                                              
  
Other Metals & Minerals                                                       
            
  Bauxite      ('000 t)     2,143    2,298    2,137     8,506      -7%     0% 
  Alumina      ('000 t)       283      304      301     1,185      -1%     6% 
  Diamonds     ('000 cts)   4,244    4,430    3,983    17,730     -10%    -6% 
  Lead -        
  mined        ('000 t)       5.3      4.7      3.5      20.9     -26%   -34% 
   Molybdenum  ('000 t)       2.1      1.6      2.3       6.3      48%    11%

  Nickel in     
  matte        (tonnes)     2,171    2,928    2,561     9,445     -13%    18% 
   Nickel -      
  refined      (tonnes)       926      969      973     3,942       0%     5% 
   Salt         ('000 t)       714      920      665     3,409     -28%    -7%

  Silver -      
  mined        ('000 ozs)   3,787    4,093    3,443    15,973     -16%    -9% 
   Silver -              
  refined      ('000 ozs)   1,202      775      776     4,291       0%   -35% 
   Talc         ('000 t)       310      313      321     1,268       3%     4%

  Tin          (tonnes)       219      150      109     1,057     -27%   -50% 
  Uranium      (tonnes)       587      504      567     2,217      13%    -3% 
  Zinc -        
  mined        ('000 t)      19.4     17.1      9.9      74.5     -42%   -49% 
   Zinc -       
  refined      ('000 t)      21.4     21.2     17.8      84.9     -16%   -17% 
                                                              
NB. Throughout this report, figures in italics indicate adjustments made since
     the figure was previously quoted on the equivalent page.
    The figures shown for production 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. 



PRINCIPAL COMMODITIES 
 
Rio Tinto 
Share of Production 
 
                                                                         Full 
                              1Q       2Q       3Q       4Q       1Q     Year 
          Interest          1999     1999     1999     1999     2000     1999 
 
COPPER                                                   
Mine production  
('000 tonnes)                                                   
Kennecott  
Utah Copper 100%            79.4     68.9     67.2     63.7     69.7    279.3
Escondida    30%            74.6     77.8     75.8     71.4     67.0    299.7
Grasberg - FCX (a)      
             13%            20.9     21.2     21.7     20.5     18.5     84.3 
Grasberg -  
Joint Venture (a)      
             40%            19.9     24.8     23.1     27.4     24.5     95.2 
Neves Corvo  49%            13.0     12.2     12.3     11.8     11.9     49.3 
 Palabora (c) 46%           12.3      9.8     12.9     17.0     13.0     52.0
                 
Rio Tinto total  
mine production            220.1    214.7    213.2    211.8    204.5    859.8 
       
                                                                              

Refined production ('000 tonnes)                                              
    
Kennecott  
Utah Copper  100%           53.9     71.9     69.2     70.3     69.9    265.4 
 Palabora      46%          11.8      9.6     11.3     13.9      8.3     46.5
 
Atlantic Copper (a)      
              15%            9.2      9.2      8.8      9.5      9.7     36.8 
 Escondida     30%           8.9      9.7     10.4     10.5     10.5     39.5

                
Rio Tinto total 
refined production          83.8    100.4     99.7    104.3     98.3    388.2 
                                       
At the end of the quarter, the Group had provisionally priced sales of
copper in concentrates and intermediate product as follows:                   
 Million lbs of payable copper:                                               
   
Kennecott    100%             14        0        0         0        0       0 
 Escondida     30%           126      105       96       104      115     104
 
Grasberg (a)  13%             39       59       40        56       58      56 
 Neves Corvo   49%             9        9        9         9       11       9

Rio Tinto total              188      173      145       169      184     169 
 Priced at US  
c/lb average                  63       75       81        84       78      84 
   
                                  
GOLD                                                   
Mine production ('000 ounces)                                                 
 
Kennecott  
Utah Copper  100%             96       87       95       88       111     367 
 Grasberg - FCX (a)      
              13%             76       77       83       72        59     308
Grasberg - Joint Venture (a)      
              40%            148      150      140      196       113     633 
 Kelian        90%            93       91      111      102        68     396
  Ridgeway     100%           20       23       26       12         -      81 
Barneys Canyon 100%           18       26       25       43        33     112 
Morro do Ouro      
              51%             21       22       26       28        30      96 
 Rawhide       51%            13       15       16       14        14      58
  Peak         100%           37       32       33       38        32     140   
Cortez/Pipeline 40%          126      135      143      127       125      532 
 Escondida     30%            11       12       12       10        10       45
  Rio Tinto Zimbabwe 56%      10       10       10       10         9       40 
 Lihir (b)     16%            22       25       32       28        20      107

Greens Creek  70%             16       14       14       12        15       56 
Others:(c)                     3        3        5        6         2       16 
 Rio Tinto total  
mine production              712      720      770      785       640    2,987 
  
Refined production  
('000 ounces)                                                   
Kennecott  
Utah Copper  100%             82       83       86       96       80      346 
 
                                                           
IRON ORE                                                   
Production ('000 tonnes)                                                   
Hamersley    100%             82       83       86       96       80      346 
 Channar       60%         1,322    1,268    1,772    1,705    1,556    6,066
  Corumba (d)  100%          211      227      235       94      147      767   
Rio Tinto  
total mine production     11,535   12,932   13,785   13,579   14,321   51,830 
              
Mine production figures for metals refer to the total quantity of metal
produced in concentrates or dore bullion irrespective of whether these
products are then refined onsite, except for the data for iron ore which
represent production of saleable quantities of ore. 
 
See footnotes below 
                                                                    
PRINCIPAL COMMODITIES (continued)                                    
Rio Tinto 
Share of Production 
 
                                                                         Full 
                   Coal       1Q       2Q       3Q       4Q       1Q     Year 
     Interest      Type     1999     1999     1999     1999     2000     1999 
                
                                                   
COAL                                                   
US coal operations  
('000 tonnes)                                                   
Kennecott Energy                                              
                                                   
Cordero Rojo       
          100%      S      9,586     10,369    10,352   11,129  8,899   41,436
  Antelope      
          100%      S      4,590      5,183     5,548    5,258  5,076   20,579
  Spring Creek      
          100%      S      2,500      2,490     2,490    2,495   2,650   9,975
   Decker          
           50%      S      1,162        988     1,253    1,574   1,056   4,977
   Colowyo (e)      
          100%      S      1,155      1,284     1,197    1,417   1,168   5,053
   Jacobs Ranch       
          100%      S      6,189      6,750     6,416    7,016   5,726  26,371
  Total US coal      
                           25,182    27,064    27,256   28,889  24,575 108,391
     
Australian coal operations ('000 tonnes)                                      
            
Pacific Coal:                                              
 
Blair Athol (f)      
          71%       S       1,999     2,011     2,088     1,817  1,733   7,915
   Kestrel Coal (g) 
          80%       S       -            70       183       171    176     424

          80%       M       -            96       503       284    348     883

Tarong     Coal 
          100%      S       1,155     1,461     1,325    1,176   1,256   5,116
                                                     
Coal & Allied Industries:                                         
Hunter Valley 
Operations (h)      
          71%       S       1,121     1,076     1,257      829     869   4,284
     
          71%       M         556       458       661      443     546   2,118

Mount Thorley      
          57%       S         382       281       336      253     246   1,252

          57%       M         352       391       348      294     348   1,385

 
Total Australian coal                     
                            5,565     5,844     6,701    5,267   5,522  23,377

                                                   
Indonesian coal operations ('000 tonnes)                               
Kaltim Prima  
Coal (i)      
          50%       S       1,776     1,582     2,018    1,631   1,146   7,007
     
South American coal operations ('000 tonnes)                               
Carbones del Cerrejon (j)      
          33%       S          93        93        98      118       0     402
     
Rio Tinto total  
coal production                     
                           32,616    34,583    36,073   35,904  31,243 139,177

                                                   
BAUXITE/ALUMINA/ALUMINIUM                                               
Bauxite ('000 tonnes)                                    
Weipa (k) 
          72%               2,068     1,934     2,016    2,170   2,011   8,188
   Boke (k)      
          3%                   76        75        38      128     125     317
     
Rio Tinto total  
bauxite production                     
                            2,143     2,010     2,055    2,298   2,137   8,506
Alumina ('000 tonnes)                                         
Queensland 
Alumina (k)      
          22%                 192       198       201      202     198     792

Eurallumina (k) 
          41%                  92        96       103      102     104     393

Rio Tinto total 
Alumina production            283       294       303      304     301   1,185

 
Aluminium ('000 tonnes) 
Comalco (k) 
          72%               115.9     121.8     124.3    125.9   124.7   487.9

Anglesey      
          51%                17.5      17.4      17.3     17.7    17.8    69.9
     
Rio Tinto total  
aluminium production                     
                            133.4     139.3     141.6    143.6   142.5   557.8
 BORATES                                                   
Borates ('000 tonnes B2O3 content)                                            
 Rio Tinto total  
borate production           
          100%                146       146       137      132     145     561
     
TITANIUM DIOXIDE FEEDSTOCK                               
Production ('000 tonnes)                                         
Rio Tinto Iron  
& Titanium       
          100%                377       354       347      350     349   1,428
     
Key to coal type: S = Steaming/thermal coal, M = Metallurgical/coking coal 
See footnotes below                                                   
                                                   
OTHER METALS & MINERALS                                                       
 Rio Tinto 
Share of Production 
                                                                          Full

                              1Q       2Q       3Q       4Q       1Q      Year

     Interest               1999     1999     1999     1999     2000      1999

                                                   
DIAMONDS                                                   
Production ('000 carats)                                     
Argyle      60%            4,244     4,337    4,720    4,430    3,983   17,730

LEAD                                                   
Mine production ('000 tonnes)                                    
Various (c)                  5.3       5.4      5.4      4.7      3.5    20.9

MOLYBDENUM                                                   
Mine production ('000 tonnes)                                                 
 Kennecott Utah  
Copper    100%               2.1       1.4      1.3      1.6      2.3     6.3 

NICKEL                                                   
Nickel in matte (tonnes)                                                   
Fortaleza  100%            2,171     1,726    2,620    2,928    2,561   9,445
                
Toll refined metal production (tonnes)                               
Rio Tinto Zimbabwe - Empress      
          56%                926     1,036    1,011      969     973   3,942  
                                                     
SALT                                                   
Production ('000 tonnes)                                                   
Dampier   65%                714       941      835      920     665   3,409  
                
SILVER                                                    
Mine production ('000 ounces)                                                 
 Kennecott  
Utah Copper      
          100%             1,109      905       959      886     916   3,859 
Greens Creek      
          70%              1,547    1,954     1,810    1,902   1,758   7,213  
Grasberg - FCX (a)      
          13%                121      148       147      147     128     563  
Grasberg -  
Joint Venture (a)      
          40%                 50       61       194      133      75     438  
 Others: (c) 
          -                  960      927       989    1,025     566   3,900  
 Rio Tinto total                     
mine production            3,787    3,994     4,099    4,093   3,443  15,973  
   
Refined production ('000 ounces)                                              
 Kennecott  
Utah Copper      
          100%             1,202    1,154     1,160      775     776   4,291  
 TALC                                                    
Production ('000 tonnes)                                    
Luzenac Group      
          99.9%              310      325       321      313     321   1,268  
 TIN                                                   
Mine production (tonnes)                                                   
Neves Corvo      
          49%                219      241       448      150     109   1,057  
                                                     
Mine production figures for metals refer to the total quantity of metal
produced in concentrates or dore bullion irrespective of whether these
products are then refined on site. The nickel in matte production reflects
the contained tonnage of nickel. 
 
See footnotes below.                                                   

OTHER METALS & MINERALS
(continued)                                                   
Rio Tinto Share of Production 
 
                                                                          Full

                              1Q       2Q       3Q       4Q       1Q      Year

            Interest        1999     1999     1999     1999     2000      1999

                                                   
URANIUM                                                   
Production (tonnes U3O8)                                                   
Rossing       69%            576      549      557      493      561     2,175
 Palabora      46%             10       11       10       11        7       42  
Rio Tinto total  
uranium production      
                             587      559      567      504      567     2,217
 ZINC                                                    
Mine production ('000 tonnes)                                    
Various(c)    -             19.4     18.9     19.2     17.1      9.9      74.5
     
Refined production ('000 tonnes)                                    
Norzink     50%             18.5     17.5     18.2     17.9     17.8      72.0
     
Others:(c)   -               2.9      3.1      3.5      3.4        -      12.9
     
Rio Tinto total  
refined zinc production                     
                            21.4     20.6     21.6     21.2     17.8      84.9
     
(a)Rio Tinto's initial interests in the Grasberg mine and in the Atlantic
Copper smelter were acquired in 1995 by virtue of an acquisition of shares    
in Freeport-McMoran Copper & Gold (FCX). As a result of FCX share buy-backs,
Rio Tinto's interest in FCX has changed and, as of 31 March 2000, Rio Tinto
had,by virtue of its FCX shareholding, a 12.8% share in Grasberg and a 15.0%
share in Atlantic Copper. From 1 January 1998, under the Joint Venture
agreement with FCX, Rio Tinto is entitled to 40% of additional material mined
as a consequence of the expansion of the Grasberg facilities. The additional
entitlement is shown separately in the above tables. 

(b)Effective 14th February 2000, Rio Tinto's interest in Lihir decreased
from 17.15% to 16.3% following a placement of shares by Lihir Gold. 
     
(c)Up until 31 December 1999, the above table included Rio Tinto's share of
production from its one third interest in Minera S.A. This was sold at the
end of 1999. 
     
(d)Rio Tinto increased its interest in the Corumba mine, Brazil, from 80%
to 100% during June 1999. Rio Tinto's share of production has been increased
to 100% from 1 January 1999, in accordance with the purchase agreement. 
     
(e)Kennecott Energy has a partnership interest in the Colowyo mine, but as
it is responsible under a management agreement for the operation of the mine,
all of Colowyo's output is included in Rio Tinto's share of production. 
     
(f)On 10 January 1999, Rio Tinto increased its beneficial interest in the
Blair Athol mine from 57.2% to 71.2%. 
     
(g)Rio Tinto acquired Kestrel Coal, formerly Gordonstone, in February 1999
and production commenced in June 1999. 
     
(h)Coal & Allied has purchased the Rio Tinto coal interests in New South
Wales that were previously held under the Novacoal name. Coal & Allied also
purchased Mitsubishi Development Pty Ltd's 40% interest in the Howick mine.
These transactions took effect from 1 July 1999. The restructuring of Coal &
Allied's shareholding leaves Rio Tinto with a 70.9% interest. Rio Tinto's
share of production for quarters prior to 1 July 1999 is reported in line
with the pre-merger shareholdings. 
     
(i)Rio Tinto has a 50% share in Kaltim Prima and, under the terms of its
Coal Agreement, the Indonesian Government is entitled to a 13.5% share of
Kaltim Prima's production. Rio Tinto's share of production shown is before
deduction of the Government share. 
     
(j)Rio Tinto disposed of its interest in Carbones del Cerrejon in early
January 2000. 
     
(k)Rio Tinto progressively increased its interest in Comalco from 70.4% to
72.4% during the first half of 1999. Rio Tinto's share of production has been
calculated using the weighted average of Rio Tinto's interest over the
relevant periods.  
 
MORE TO FOLLOW


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