Palabora 1st QPR 2004

Rio Tinto PLC
02 April 2004


First Quarter 2004 - Update on the underground mine

Average copper production in the first quarter of 2004 of 153 tonnes per day was
ten per cent higher than the fourth quarter of 2003.  Although ore hoisted of
20,200 tonnes per day was eight per cent lower than the fourth quarter of 2003,
mine rescheduling is resulting in higher copper grades and improved cave
management.

The undercut has now been completed and 18 out of the planned 20 cross cuts are
operational.  Production was disrupted in both February and March by a conveyor
belt tear and a water ingress event.  The secondary breaking of drawpoint
material continues to be a production bottleneck and, as previously advised,
additional secondary breaking units will be delivered over the course of the
next couple of months.

Improvement steps continue to ensure that production moves toward the previously
established targets.  Work to achieve this is focussed on improvements to
equipment availability and more efficient secondary breaking. As always, the
safety of employees and contractors is being given first priority and will not
be compromised to achieve production targets.

A more complete Q1 brief will be published once all Q1 statistics are available.
More information on the company's performance will be available on the website
www.palabora.com.

The following table summarises recent daily underground production:



Final Quarter 2003                     22,000 tonnes ore per day average
Final Quarter 2003                     140 tonnes Cu per day average


First Quarter 2004                      20,200 tonnes ore per day average
First Quarter 2004                      153 tonnes Cu per day average



For further information, please contact:

LONDON                                               AUSTRALIA

Media Relations                                      Media Relations
Lisa Cullimore                                       Ian Head
Office:  [phone]                        Office:  [phone]
Mobile: [phone]                         Mobile: [phone]

Investor Relations                                   Investor Relations

Peter Cunningham                                     Dave Skinner
Office:  [phone]                        Office:  [phone]
Mobile: [phone]                         Mobile: [phone]
Richard Brimelow                                     Susie Creswell
Office:  [phone]                        Office:  [phone]
Mobile: [phone]                         Mobile: [phone]


Website: www.riotinto.com



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