Iron ore agreements signed

Rio Tinto PLC
29 October 2004

Rio Tinto and Japanese partners sign historic iron ore agreements



Rio Tinto and its Japanese partners in the Robe River Joint Venture (Robe)
yesterday signed agreements formalising closer cooperation between Hamersley
Iron and Robe, and the iron ore and technical exchange initiatives announced on
7 April 2004.



Chris Renwick, chief executive Rio Tinto Iron Ore, said, 'The signing of the
Pilbara Iron agreements marks a milestone in the way we mine, transport and
export iron ore, through the creation of a new organisation that maximises the
strengths of both Hamersley and Robe.  The agreements will not only benefit the
operations, but also further strengthen the relationship with our Japanese
partners in the Robe River Joint Venture.'



The agreements cover:

•          The formation and operation of Pilbara Iron, which includes common
usage of port, rail and power infrastructure, and the provision of corporate and
site services to Hamersley Iron and Robe, in the Pilbara region of Western
Australia;

•          A long term sales contract for the supply of 150 million tonnes of
Yandi iron ore to Nippon Steel over a period of about 20 years;

•          The sale of 47 per cent of the Beasley River iron ore deposit to the
Japanese participants in the Robe River Joint Venture; and

•          The progression of a number of technical exchange initiatives
including logistics initiatives for the delivery of iron ore and coal, and the
optimisation of raw material use in the context of steel industry requirements.



Under formal agreements signed in July this year, Nippon Steel has purchased an
eight per cent interest in the Hail Creek Joint Venture, with the original
participants, Marubeni Coal and Sumisho Coal Development, increasing their
combined share by two per cent.



Rio Tinto will receive around $150 million for the sale of the eight and two per
cent interests in the Hail Creek Joint Venture and 47 per cent of the Beasley
River iron ore deposit.



In July the joint venture participants committed $120 million to expanding the
capacity of the Hail Creek operation to eight million tonnes per annum.  This
expansion is largely underpinned by a long term sales agreement entered into by
Nippon Steel to purchase 30 million tonnes of coking coal over a period of 15
years.  Work on the expansion began in August this year and is expected to be
completed by 2006.



The Pilbara Iron and Beasley River agreements are subject to approvals currently
being sought from the Western Australian Government.







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