Quarterly Producton Report - Part 1

RIO TINTO PLC
27 October 1999

Part 1

                  Rio Tinto Quarterly Production Report
                For the Quarter Ending 30 September 1999

Group  production of most principal commodities in the third  quarter  of
1999  was  higher  than the comparable quarter in  1998  and  the  second
quarter of 1999.

Iron  ore  production was 7% higher than the second quarter of this  year
and  12% higher than the same quarter last year.  Continued strong demand
helped  Hamersley  Iron in Western Australia increase shipments  to  16.5
million tonnes in the third quarter.

Coal  production during the quarter increased 4% compared with the second
quarter  of 1999 and was 15% higher than the comparable quarter of  1998.
The increase in this quarter was partly due to increasing output from the
newly acquired Kestrel Coal in Australia.

Copper  production  remained unchanged in the quarter compared  with  the
second  quarter of 1999. Continuing higher mill throughputs at  Escondida
in  Chile,  Grasberg in Indonesia and Bingham Canyon in the US helped  to
offset  lower ore grades. Improved smelter performance at Kennecott  Utah
Copper  in the US helped increase refined copper production 19% over  the
third quarter in 1998.

Gold  production in the quarter was up 7% on the second quarter of  1999,
due to higher attributable production from Kelian in Indonesia, Cortez in
the  US  and  most other operations.  Gold production for the first  nine
months of 1999 was 2.2 million ounces.

Aluminium production was up 2% compared with the second quarter  of  1999
and  9%  over  the  comparable  quarter of  1998.  This  reflects  higher
production at the smelters and Rio Tinto's increased interest in Comalco.

In   Industrial  Minerals,  output  of  titanium  feedstocks  was   lower
reflecting the consequences of the fire in June at the Canadian  smelter.
The  Borax  mine at Boron sustained only minor damage from the California
earthquake of October 17.  Supplies to customers were unaffected.

For further information, please contact:

Media Relations                    Investor Relations

Alexis Fernandez                   Peter Jarvis
+ 44 171 753 2305                  + 44 171 753 2401

Website:  www.riotinto.com


RIO TINTO PRODUCTION SUMMARY

RIO TINTO Share of production

            Quarter                  9MTHS           % Change
            1998    1999    1999     1998    1999    Q399    Q399   9mths99
            Q3      Q2      Q3                       vs      vs     vs
                                                     Q299    Q398   9mths98

Copper - mined ('000 t)
            239.2   214.7   213.7    647.0   648.5   0%      -11%   0%
Copper - Refined('000 t)
           83.7    100.4   99.7     231.9   283.9   -1%     19%    22%
Gold - Mined('000 ozs)
           750     720     767      1,932   2,199   7%      2%     14%
Gold - refined ('000 ozs)
           73      83      86       220     251     2%      18%    14%
Iron ore   ('000 t)
           12,262  12,932  13,785   39,424  38,251  7%      12%    -3%
Coal       ('000 t)
           31,357  34,674  36,118   79,194  103,408 4%      15%    31%
Aluminium  ('000 t)
           129.6   139.3   141.4    378.6   414.0   2%      9%     9%
Borates    ('000 t)
           162     142     140      455     428     -1%     -14%   -6%
Titanium dioxide feedstock ('000 t)
           399     354     347      1,147   1,077   -2%     -13%   -6%

Other Metals & Minerals

Bauxite    ('000 t)
           1,755   2,010   2,051    4,630   6,205   2%      17%    34%
Diamonds   ('000 cts)
           7,451   4,337   4,720    18,977  13,300  9%      -37%   -30%
Lead - mined   ('000 t)
           5.2     5.4     5.4      15.4    16.1    0%      5%     5%
Molybdenum     ('000 t)
           1.3     1.4     1.3      4.4     4.8     -13%    -4%    9%
Nickel in matte    (tonnes)
           1,806   1,726   2,620    2,747   6,517   52%     45%    137%
Nickel - refined   (tonnes)
           957     1,036   1,011    2,609   2,973   -2%     6%     14%
Salt       ('000 t)
           809     941     835      2,283   2,490   -11%    3%     9%

Silver - mined ('000 ozs)
           4,592   3,994   4,099    12,021  11,880  3%      -11%   -1%
Silver - refined   ('000 ozs)
           742     1,154   1,160    1,892   3,516   1%      56%    86%
Talc ('000 t)
           298     325     321      905     955     -1%     8%     6%
Tin (tonnes)
           335     241     448      1,157   908     86%     34%    -22%
Uranium    (tonnes)
           600     559     567      1,787   1,713   1%      -5%    -4%
Zinc - mined   ('000 t)
           19.3    18.9    19.2     51.7    57.4    1%      -1%    11%
Zinc - refined ('000 t)
           21.0    20.6    21.6     61.8    63.7    5%      3%     3%

N.B. 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 nine months figures.


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