Coal & Allied - 4QPR 2003

Rio Tinto PLC
21 January 2004

Rio Tinto's 75.7 per cent owned subsidiary, Coal & Allied Industries Limited,
issued the following news release in Australia. All dollars are Australian
currency.





Coal & Allied production report for the quarter ended 30 September 2003


                                             4Q     1Q     2Q        3Q         4Q   12 months   12 months
                                           2002   2003   2003      2003       2003        2002        2003
'000 tonnes (100% basis) (a)


Hunter Valley Operations
Thermal coal production                   2,266  2,363  2,136     2,028      2,620       9,183       9,146
Coking coal production                      845    800    805       875        381       3,442       2,862

Mount Thorley Operations
Thermal coal production                     637    510    361       416        433       2,465       1,720
Coking coal production                      365    356    330       369        377       1,827       1,432


Bengalla Mine
Thermal coal production                   1,517  1,298  1,776     1,122      2,008       5,385       6,203

Moura Mine (b)
Thermal coal production                  -        -      -        -         -            1,018      -
Coking coal production                   -        -      -        -         -            1,381      -

Narama Mine (b)
Thermal coal production                  -        -      -        -         -              370      -

Ravensworth East Mine (b)
Thermal coal production                  -        -      -        -         -              387      -

Warkworth Mine
Thermal coal production                   1,871  1,634  1,152     1,212      1,371       6,314       5,369
Coking coal production                       42    112    168       127         93         568         500

Total coal production                     7,544  7,074  6,728     6,147      7,284      32,340      27,232

Total sales ('000 tonnes) (c)             7,486  7,174  6,633     6,802      7,278      31,549      27,887





Production in the fourth quarter of 2003 was 18% higher than in the third
quarter of 2003 due primarily to higher production from Bengalla, where
quarterly production increased as mining progressed through higher productivity
areas of the mining sequence. Total coal production and sales for the fourth
quarter of 2003 and for the full year 2003 were down from comparable prior
periods due to the operational changes implemented in the third quarter of 2003
to reduce saleable production capacity to align with market demand. Port and
rail congestion remain an issue.





Notes

(a)   Rio Tinto increased its stake in Coal & Allied from 72.7% to 75.7% in 
      September 2002.
(b)   The sale of Coal & Allied's share of Narama and Ravensworth was completed 
      on 14 March 2002. Coal & Allied
      sold its interest in the Moura coal mine with effect from 24 May 2002.
(c)   Sales relate only to coal mined by the operations and exclude traded coal.







For further information, please contact:

LONDON                                             AUSTRALIA

Media Relations                                    Media Relations
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Office:  [phone]                      Office:  [phone]
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Investor Relations                                 Investor Relations
Peter Cunningham                                   Dave Skinner
Office:  [phone]                      Office:  [phone]
Mobile: [phone]                       Mobile: [phone]
Richard Brimelow                                   Daphne Morros
Office:  [phone]                      Office:  [phone]
Mobile: [phone]                       Mobile: [phone]



Website: www.riotinto.com




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