Coal & Allied Production Repo

RNS Number : 6787L

Rio Tinto PLC

15 January 2009

 

Coal & Allied

MEDIA RELEASE

15 January 2009

Production Report for the quarter ended 31 December 2008

	CNA	4Q	1Q	2Q	3Q	4Q	12 months	12 months
'000 tonnes (100% basis)	interest	2007	2008	2008	2008	2008	2007	2008
Hunter Valley Operations	100%
Thermal coal production		2,046	2,143	1,830	1,645	2,268	8,264	7,886
Semi-soft coking coal production		657	683	1,078	629	475	1,830	2,865
		2,703	2,826	2,908	2,274	2,744	10,094	10,752
Bengalla Mine	40%
Thermal coal production		1,376	1,053	1,607	1,296	1,402	5,155	5,357
Mount Thorley Operations (a)	80%
Thermal coal production		731	382	428	918	53	1,929	1,780
Semi-soft coking coal production		302	332	41	287	508	995	1,168
		1,033	714	469	1,205	561	2,924	2,948
Warkworth Mine (a)	55.6%
Thermal coal production		1,197	1,522	1,507	964	1,658	5,376	5,652
Semi-soft coking coal production		0	1	46	215	125	400	386
		1,197	1,523	1,553	1,179	1,783	5,776	6,038
Total Mount Thorley Warkworth		2,230	2,237	2,022	2,384	2,344	8,700	8,986
Total coal production		6,310	6,114	6,537	5,954	6,490	23,949	25,095
Total sales (b)		6,908	6,050	6,233	6,196	6,605	25,522	25,084
Coal & Allied share
Coal production		4,746	4,664	4,788	4,413	4,745	17,706	18,610
Coal sales ('000 tonnes)		5,087	4,571	4,660	4,625	4,810	18,933	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 4.7mt, eight per cent higher than the September quarter this year and in line with the corresponding quarter last year. During the quarter, Hunter Valley Operations production increased 21 per cent as the coal preparation plant ramped up following its third quarter maintenance shutdown. Bengalla's coal production was eight per cent higher than the September quarter, mainly as a result of coal seam sequencing. Mount Thorley Warkworth's production was two per cent down on the third quarter, largely impacted by coal seam presentation resulting in a higher stripping ratio. 

 Overall, the proportion of semi soft coking coal production was two per cent lower than the previous quarter, however it was 16 per cent higher than the corresponding quarter in 2007. This is consistent with Coal & Allied's aim to maximise the return of the current semi soft contracts.

Sales

Coal & Allied's share of coal sales in the fourth quarter was four per cent higher than the previous quarter and in line with allocated port capacity. 

Other

There was no exploration activity during the quarter. 

For further information contact:

Media Enquiries:                     

Alison Smith                          

[phone] / 0438 787 038  

Investor Enquiries:

Dave Skinner

03 9283 3628 / 0408 335 309

www.coalandallied.com.au 

 

END

 

 

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