C&A Production Report quarter

RNS Number : 5828Q

Rio Tinto PLC

15 April 2009

 



COAL & ALLIED

MEDIA RELEASE

15 April 2009

Production Report for the quarter ended 31 March 2009

	CNA	1Q	2Q	3Q	4Q	1Q	12 months
'000 tonnes (100% basis)	interest	2008	2008	2008	2008	2009	2008
Hunter Valley Operations	100%
Thermal coal production		2,143	1,830	1,645	2,268	2,212	7,886
Semi-soft coking coal production		683	1,078	629	475	492	2,865
		2,826	2,908	2,274	2,744	2,704	10,752
Bengalla Mine	40%
Thermal coal production		1,053	1,607	1,296	1,402	1,126	5,357
Mount Thorley Operations (a)	80%
Thermal coal production		382	428	918	53	513	1,780
Semi-soft coking coal production		332	41	287	508	57	1,168
		714	469	1,205	561	570	2,948
Warkworth Mine (a)	55.6%
Thermal coal production		1,522	1,507	964	1,658	1,064	5,652
Semi-soft coking coal production		1	46	215	125	75	386
		1,523	1,553	1,179	1,783	1,139	6,038
Total Mount Thorley Warkworth		2,237	2,022	2,384	2,344	1,709	8,986
Total coal production		6,114	6,537	5,954	6,490	5,539	25,095
Total sales (b)		6,050	6,233	6,196	6,605	5,214	25,084
Coal & Allied share
Coal production		4,664	4,788	4,413	4,745	4,244	18,610
Coal sales ('000 tonnes)		4,571	4,660	4,625	4,810	4,044	18,666

• 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 4.2mt, 11 per cent lower than the December quarter in 2008, and nine per cent lower than the corresponding quarter last year.

During the quarter, production was adversely impacted by wet weather conditions. Bengalla's coal production was 20 per cent lower than the preceding quarter, due to the weather impact as well as coal seam sequencing. Mount Thorley Warkworth's production was 27 per cent down on the December quarter, largely impacted by coal seam presentation, truck availability and wet weather. Strong production and coal sales in the fourth quarter of 2008 resulted in all operations starting 2009 with low levels of in-pit coal inventories. Low opening in-pit inventories exacerbated the impact of wet weather in the first quarter of 2009.

Coal & Allied conducted an organisational review during the first quarter of 2009 and one outcome was a decision to shut the Mount Thorley Warkworth North coal preparation plant on a temporary basis. This shutdown is planned to last six weeks and is not expected to adversely affect Coal & Allied's production levels in 2009. 
  

Sales
Coal & Allied's share of coal sales in the first quarter was 16 per cent lower than the previous quarter and is in line with production.

Despite the lower production in the first quarter of 2009, Coal & Allied anticipates that full year 2009 export sales will be in line with port allocation, and total sales will be comparable with 2008.

Other

There was no exploration activity during the quarter. The ROM hopper relocation project at Bengalla is scheduled to commence tie in activities in mid May. This is consistent with the original project timetable.

For further information contact:

Media Enquiries:                            Investor Enquiries:

Alison Smith                                      Dave Skinner

[phone] / 0438 787 038         03 9283 3628 / 0408 335 309

www.coalandallied.com.au 

 

END

 

 

STRIIFFSSVIELIA