Quarterly Producton Report - Part 3

RIO TINTO PLC
27 October 1999

Part 3

COPPER & GOLD
                   3Q      4Q       1Q      2Q      3Q     9 MTHS 9 MTHS
                   1998    1998     1999    1999    1999     1998   1999

Kennecott Utah Copper
Total production at Kennecott's Bingham Canyon mine, smelter and refinery
(Rio Tinto 100%) and Barneys Canyon mine (Rio Tinto 100%) in Utah, US.

Bingham Canyon Mine
Ore treated
('000 tonnes)      13,801  14,326   14,316  14,563  14,523   37,971 43,403
Average ore grade:
Copper (%)         0.65    0.65     0.61    0.53    0.53     0.61  0.56
Gold (g/t)         0.35    0.32     0.31    0.28    0.30     0.33  0.30
Silver (g/t)       3.22    3.29     3.15    2.71    2.85     3.26  2.91
Molybdenum
(%)                0.033   0.034    0.035   0.033   0.031    0.034 0.034
Copper concen-
trates produced
('000 tonnes)      316     297      284     263     257      804   803
Average concentrate
grade (% Cu)       25.8    28.0     27.5    25.6    25.7     26.0  26.3
Production of metals in copper concentrates:
Copper
('000 tonnes)
(a)                83.2    84.4     79.4    68.9    67.2     213.8 215.6
Gold
('000 ounces)      100     100      96      87      95       266   278
Silver
('000 ounces)      1,156   1,140    1,109   905     959      3,107 2,972
Molybdenum concentrates
produced
('000 tonnes):     2.5     3.6      3.8     2.7     2.4      8.3   8.9
Molybdenum in
concentrates
('000 tonnes)      1.3     1.9      2.1     1.4     1.3      4.4   4.8
Kennecott Smelter & Refinery
Copper concentrates
smelted
('000 tonnes)      292     245      236     264     300      833   800
Copper anodes produced
('000 tonnes)
(b)                65.0    66.0     52.8    73.1    72.5     188.0 198.4
Production of refined metal:
Copper
('000 tonnes)      61.2    70.8     53.9    71.9    69.2     168.0 195.1
Gold
('000 ounces) (c)  73      70       82      83      86       220   251
Silver
('000 ounces) (c)  742     718      1,202   1,154   1,160    1,892 3,516

(a)  Includes a small amount of copper in precipitates.
(b)  New metal excluding recycled material.
(c)  Includes gold and silver in intermediate products.
Lower ore grade for all metals in the third quarter of 1999, compared with
the third quarter of 1998, resulted in lower production of metal in
concentrate for all products. As previously indicated, the lower than life-
of-mine average copper grades are expected to continue, before recovering
in mid 2000. Compared with the second quarter of 1999, molybdenum
concentrate production was down due to lower ore grade and recovery.

Improved smelter performance resulted in higher anode production in the
third quarter of 1999 compared with the third quarter 1998.

Higher refined copper output in the third quarter of 1999 compared with
third quarter of 1998 was mainly due to increased availability of anodes.
Refined gold and silver production also increased in the third quarter of
1999 compared with the third quarter of 1998 and the second quarter of
1999 largely due to increased availability of anodes and treatment of in-
process inventories.

As shown above, no sales of copper were previously priced at 30 September 1999.

Barneys Canyon Mine
Ore treated
('000 tonnes)      698     515      490     623     676        1,431  1,789
Average ore grade:
Gold (g/t)         2.11    1.50     1.98    1.63    2.31       1.65
1.98
Gold produced in
dore and concentrates
('000 ounces)      25      29       18      26      25         54     69

Gold production in the third quarter of 1999 was the same as the third
quarter of 1998 as higher ore grade was offset by lower throughput.
Compared with the second quarter 1999, gold production was slightly lower
principally due to timing of flows from the heap leach pads.


Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold
Total production and sales at the Grasberg mine (Rio Tinto 12.6% (a)) in
Irian Jaya, Indonesia, and the Atlantic Copper smelter (Rio Tinto 14.6%)
in Spain.

(100% basis)

Grasberg Mine
Ore treated
('000 tonnes)      19,077  19,377   19,953  19,730  20,410   52,325   60,093
Average mill head grades:
Copper (%)         1.33    1.45     1.14    1.16    1.11     1.24  1.14
Gold (g/t)         1.29    2.05     1.31    1.39    1.40     1.28  1.37
Silver (g/t)       3.11    4.02     2.77    2.91    2.74     2.86  2.81

Production of metals in concentrates:
Copper in
concentrates
('000 tonnes)      226.0   241.8    186.4   193.9   196.0    567.2 576.4
Gold in
concentrates
('000 ounces)      683     1,105    754     762     804      1,822 2,320
Silver in
concentrates
('000 ounces)      1,304   1,984    1,016   1,235   1,365    3,267 3,616
Sales of payable metals
in concentrates: (b)
Copper in
concentrates
('000 tonnes)      212.2   231.9    177.4   184.8   187.1    542.3 549.3
Gold in
concentrates
('000 ounces)      639     1,023    723     741     788      1,752 2,252
Silver in concentrates
('000 ounces)      1,068   1,285    774     951     1,043    2,723 2,768

(a) See note (b) in the summary section above for details of Rio Tinto's
   12.6% interest in Grasberg and 40% interest in the expansion.
(b) Net of smelter deductions.

In the third quarter of 1999,production of copper and gold marginally
increased over the second quarter of 1999 due largely to an increase in
throughput. Copper production in the third quarter was below that achieved
in the corresponding period last year due to lower feed grade, partly
offset by higher throughput. Gold production in the third quarter was
above that achieved in the corresponding period last year due to both
higher throughput and feed grade.

Atlantic Copper
Concentrate smelted
('000 tonnes)      235.2   233.0    238.6   225.1   230.9    740.9 694.6
Copper anodes
produced
('000 tonnes) (c)  71.2    69.1     74.4    69.7    70.0     222.2 214.1
Copper cathodes
produced
('000 tonnes)      64.1    63.5     63.1    63.3    60.6     183.6 187.0
Copper cathode
sales
('000 tonnes) (d)  63.9    63.0     62.8    62.7    62.1     183.9 187.6

(c)  New metal excluding recycled material.
(d)  Refers to copper cathode and wire rod sales.


Minera Escondida Limitada
Total production at the Escondida mine (Rio Tinto 30%) in Chile.
(100% basis)

Escondida Mine
Sulphide ore treated
('000 tonnes)      10,308  9,821    11,400  11,435  11,510   29,093 34,345
Average copper
grade (%)            2.34     2.23    2.15    2.15     2.06  2.54     2.12
Mill production (metals in concentrates):
Contained copper
('000 tonnes)      215.8   190.0    215.6   217.4   206.7    660.2 639.7
Contained gold
('000 ounces)      37      37       38      40      39       113   117
Contained silver
('000 ounces)      873     743      915     1,038   854      2,325 2,807

Oxide ore treated
('000 tonnes)              1,049    3,346   3,595   3,777    -     10,718
Average copper
grade (%)                           1.08    0.99    1.16     1.22  -  1.13
Contained copper in
leachate/mined material
('000 tonnes)              11       33      42      46       -     121

Refined production:
Oxide plant
production
('000 tonnes)      -       5.4      29.7    32.4    34.6     -     96.7
Coloso leach plant
production
('000 tonnes)      0.4     -        -       -       -        23.6  -

Sulphide ore treated in the first three quarters of 1999 was 18% higher
than the corresponding period in 1998 due to the increased milling rate
arising from the completion of the Phase 3.5 expansion. Contained copper
in concentrate was slightly lower than the first three quarters of 1998
despite the increase in ore treated; this reflects the decrease in copper
head grade.

The Coloso leach plant was closed in 1998.

Somincor
Total production at the Neves Corvo mine (Rio Tinto 49%) in Portugal.

(100% basis)

Neves Corvo Mine
Total ore treated
('000
tonnes)(a)         549     615      558     543     592      1,674 1,693
Of which, treated to
extract tin
('000 tonnes)      112     114      113     85      97       365   295
Average ore grades:
Copper (%)         5.74    5.37     5.35    5.00    4.95     5.70  5.10
Tin (%)            1.53    1.33     1.12    1.29    1.43     1.47  1.27
Copper production:
Copper concentrates
produced
('000 tonnes)      115.2   120.7    109.2   103.0   104.4    348.2 316.7
Copper concentrate
grade
(% copper)         24.6    24.2     24.2    24.1    24.1     24.5  24.2
Copper in concentrates
produced
('000 tonnes)      28.4    29.2     26.5    24.9    26.3     85.2  77.6
Tin production:
Tin concentrates
produced
('000 tonnes)      1.3     1.1      0.9     0.9     1.8      4.5   3.7
Tin concentrate
grade (% tin)      51.8    53.1     50.0    51.9    49.9     52.7  50.4
Tin in concentrates
produced
('000 tonnes)      0.7     0.6      0.4     0.5     0.9      2.4   1.9

(a)  Total ore treated for both copper and tin production.

In the third quarter of 1999, tin concentrate production improved compared
with the previous quarter due to improved ore grade and tin recovery.
COPPER & GOLD (continued)
                   3Q      4Q       1Q      2Q      3Q     9 MTHS  9 MTHS
                   1998    1998     1999    1999    1999     1998  1999

Palabora Mine
Total production at the Palabora mine, smelter and refinery (Rio Tinto
46.5% (a)) in South Africa.

(100% basis)

Palabora Mine
Ore treated
('000 tonnes)      7,129   7,361    6,791   7,080   7,419    21,398   21,290
Average ore grade
(copper %)         0.57    0.60     0.46    0.35    0.46     0.58  0.42
Copper concentrates
produced
('000 tonnes)      106.1   110.4    80.8    61.5    82.4     307.9 224.7
Average concentrate
grade
(copper %)         32.9    33.3     32.7    34.2    33.8     33.7  33.5
Copper in concentrates
('000 tonnes)      34.9    36.8     26.4    21.0    27.9     103.8 75.3

Palabora Smelter/Refinery
New concentrate
smelted on site
('000 tonnes)      87.3    77.6     73.8    51.5    79.6     213.1 204.9
New copper anodes
produced
('000 tonnes)(b)   30.5    27.8     24.1    20.9    24.7     77.9  69.7
Refined new copper
produced
('000 tonnes)      29.3    27.5     25.4    20.6    24.3     76.6  70.2

By-products:
Magnetite concentrate
('000 tonnes)      54      57       31      49      41       157   120
Uranium oxide
(tonnes)           17      17       23      23      21       57    67
Baddeleyite (several grades)
('000 tonnes)      2.5     1.8      2.4     3.0     2.6      8.2   8.0
Refined nickel sulphate
(tonnes)           118     105      30      52      57       183   140

Vermiculite Plant
Vermiculite produced
('000 tonnes)      52.5    53.4     53.0    54.1    49.4     152.9 156.5

(a) Rio Tinto increased its interest in Palabora Mining Company from 38.9%
   to 46.5% on 10 June 1998.  Rio Tinto's share of production has been
   calculated from a weighted average of Rio Tinto's interest over the
   appropriate periods.
(b) Contained copper in anodes; anode production includes a small amount
   produced from purchased material.

The decrease in copper concentrate production in the first nine months of
1999, compared with 1998, was due to lower head grades. The expected
reduction in head grade results from loading of low grade stockpiles from
1999 until the end of open pit life in 2003.

Concentrate smelted in the third quarter of 1999 was below 1998 levels as
a result of availability problems in the converter and anode sections.
This led to reduced anode and refined copper production.

The decrease in magnetite production resulted from the lower magnetite
content in the marginal ore processed through the magnetite circuit.
Uranium oxide production improved over 1998 due to an increase in uranium
in the feed.

Rio Tinto Brasil Limitada
Total production at the Morro do Ouro gold mine (Rio Tinto 51%) in Minas
Gerais, Brazil.

(100% basis)

Morro do Ouro Mine
Ore treated
('000 tonnes)      4,118   3,905    3,959   4,176   4,487    11,709 12,622
Average ore grade:
gold (g/t)         0.49    0.46     0.45    0.45    0.45     0.52    0.45
Refined gold
produced
('000 ounces)      43      43       42      43      50       138     135

COPPER & GOLD (continued)
                   3Q      4Q       1Q      2Q      3Q     9 MTHS 9 MTHS
                   1998    1998     1999    1999    1999     1998  1999

Kennecott Minerals Company
Total production at the mines of Kennecott Minerals Company in the US;
Rawhide (Rio Tinto 51%) in Nevada; Ridgeway (Rio Tinto 100%) in South
Carolina, Cortez/Pipeline (Rio Tinto 40%) in Nevada and Greens Creek (Rio
Tinto 70%)in Alaska.

(100% basis)

Rawhide Mine
Ore treated
('000 tonnes)      1,507   1,470    1,522   1,611   1,559    3,965 4,692
Average ore grades:
Gold (g/t)         0.87    0.86     0.89    0.82    0.75     0.86  0.82
Silver (g/t)       9.6     9.1      8.9     9.7     10.2     11.1  9.6
Metals produced in dore:
Gold
('000 ounces)      32      32       26      29      31       93    86
Silver
('000 ounces)      211     165      141     157     169      678   467

Mill throughput rates remain near record levels. Variances in the ore
grade were due to the mining sequence.

Ridgeway
Ore treated
('000 tonnes)      969     1,023    873     981     871      3,232 2,725
Average ore grades:
Gold (g/t)         0.72    0.89     0.99    1.12    1.18     0.89  1.10
Silver (g/t)       0.9     1.1      1.2     1.1     1.1      0.9   1.1
Metals produced in dore:
Gold
('000 ounces)      23      22       20      23      26       77    69
Silver
('000 ounces)      18      18       20      14      15       54    49
The gold grade continued to improve as mining exhausts the final ore in
the pit.

Cortez / Pipeline
Ore treated
('000 tonnes)      948     969      932     980     1,022    2,842 2,934
Average ore grade:
gold (g/t)         12.78   11.44    10.22   11.02   11.58    8.13  10.96
Gold produced in dore
('000 ounces)      404     376      316     337     358      763   1,011

Mill throughput and ore grade increased in the Pipeline pit.

Greens Creek
Ore treated
('000 tonnes)      124     133      128     131     131      357   390
Average ore grades:
Gold (g/t)         5.89    5.83     8.56    7.29    7.31     5.83  7.71
Silver (g/t)       941     683      735     877     809      816   808
Zinc (%)           12.9    12.9     14.7    13.7    14.2     11.6  14.2
Lead (%)           5.1     5.6      5.9     5.9     5.9      5.0   5.9

Metals produced in concentrates:
Gold
('000 ounces)      16      17       23      20      20       44    63
Silver
('000 ounces)      2,975   2,221    2,201   2,780   2,575    7,276 7,556
Zinc
('000 tonnes)      13.8    14.4     15.4    14.4    15.0     34.8  44.8
Lead
('000 tonnes)      4.9     5.4      5.3     5.4     5.5      13.6  16.2

The mine and mill continued to implement productivity improvements and
consistently exceeded design throughput. Metal grades varied based on the
mining sequence.

Peak Gold Mine
Total production and sales from the Peak Gold mine (Rio Tinto 100%) at
Cobar, New South Wales, Australia.

Ore treated
('000 tonnes)      124     135      153     145     152      393   449
Average ore grades:
Gold (g/t)         7.34    5.22     7.97    7.16    7.11     7.51  7.42
Silver (g/t)       4.34    4.55     7.41    5.46    3.81     4.98  5.62
Copper (%)         0.35    0.21     0.56    0.51    0.56     0.50  0.54
Lead (%)           0.57    0.49     0.66    0.48    0.51     0.71  0.55
Zinc (%)           0.70    0.50     0.77    0.37    0.43     0.81  0.53

Bullion produced
('000 ounces)      30      24       39      33      33       98    104
Containing:
Gold
('000 ounces)      25      21       35      29      27       82    91
Silver
('000 ounces)      4       2        3       3       3        10    9
Gold recovered in
concentrates
('000 ounces)      2       1        3       3       3        8     9
Total gold production
('000 ounces)      27      22       37      32      30       90    100

Bullion sales
(fine gold)
('000 ounces)      25      21       35      29      27       81    91

Copper in concentrate ('000 tonnes):
Production         0.2     0.1      0.5     0.4     0.5      1.3   1.4
Sales              0.9     -        -       0.9     -        2.0   0.9

Lead/zinc in concentrate ('000 tonnes):
Production         0.4     0.2      0.4     0.5     0.2      1.5   1.1
Sales              1.1     0.4      0.4     -       0.8      3.0   1.2

While ore treated increased in the third quarter of 1999, total gold
production was lower than in the second quarter of 1999 due to lower ore
grade.

Kelian Equatorial Mining
Total production and sales from the Kelian gold mine (Rio Tinto 90%) in
East Kalimantan, Indonesia.

(100% basis)

Ore treated
('000 tonnes)      2,036   2,095    1,841   1,918   1,900    5,678 5,659
Average ore grades:
Gold (g/t)         2.84    2.54     2.26    2.13    2.62     2.85  2.34
Silver (g/t)       5.38    4.51     4.24    4.00    4.25     6.30  4.16

Production:
Gold
('000 ounces)      127     119      103     101     123      341   327
Silver
('000 ounces)      123     84       89      84      87       336   260

Sales:
Gold
('000 ounces)      122     125      108     103     115      344   326
Silver
('000 ounces)      145     93       112     97      90       272   299

Gold production and grade increased in the third quarter of 1999. This was
caused by drier weather conditions leading to greater access to high grade
ore.
COPPER & GOLD (Continued)

                   3Q      4Q       1Q      2Q      3Q     9 MTHS  9 MTHS
                   1998    1998     1999    1999    1999     1998    1999

Lihir Gold
Total production at the Lihir gold mine (Rio Tinto 17.15%) in Papua New
Guinea.

(100% basis)

Ore treated
('000 tonnes)      639     553      603     655     841      1,801 2,099
Average ore grade:
gold (g/t)         6.40    7.32     7.24    6.95    7.38     6.82  7.20
Gold produced
('000 ounces) (a)  130     127      128     143     188      392   459

a)  Gold production represents quantity of gold poured.

Output in the third quarter was high due to improved autoclave
availability and throughput.

Rio Tinto Zimbabwe
Total production at Rio Tinto Zimbabwe's gold operations (Rio Tinto 56.0%)
in Zimbabwe.

(100% basis)

Renco Mine
Ore treated
('000 tonnes)      80      76       79      75      81       229   235
Average ore grade:
gold (g/t)         5.69    5.56     5.42    5.23    5.33     5.58  5.32
Total gold produced
('000 ounces)      13      12       12      11      12       37    35

Patchway Mine (a)
Ore treated
('000 tonnes)      22      21       23      24      25       69    72
Average ore grade:
gold (g/t)         7.22    7.31     5.81    5.51    5.58     5.46  5.63
Total gold produced
('000 ounces)      5       5        4       4       4        11    12


Cam Dump Reprocessing
Ore treated
('000 tonnes)      279     259      251     248     237      717   736
Average ore grade:
gold (g/t)         1.39    1.20     1.15    1.11    1.21     1.51  1.16
Total gold produced
('000 ounces)      3       2        2       2       2        7     6

Total Rio Tinto Zimbabwe
Total gold produced
('000 ounces)      20      19       18      17      18       54    53

(a) Includes low grade material.

IRON ORE

                   3Q      4Q       1Q      2Q      3Q     9 MTHS 9 MTHS
                   1998    1998     1999    1999    1999     1998   1999

Hamersley Iron
Total production and shipments are for all the mines operated by Hamersley
Iron (Rio Tinto 100%).  These mines are Paraburdoo, Mount Tom Price,
Marandoo, Yandicoogina, Brockman (all Rio Tinto 100%) and Channar (Rio
Tinto 60%) all in Western Australia.

(100% basis)

Saleable iron ore
produced
('000 tonnes):
Paraburdoo, Mount Tom Price,
Marandoo, Brockman and
Yandicoogina       10,644  11,134   10,002  11,437  11,778   34,446   33,217
Channar            2,285   3,030    2,203   2,113   2,953    7,058    7,269

Total
production         12,929  14,164   12,205  13,550  14,731   41,504  40,486
Total shipments
('000 tonnes)      12,936  14,279   10,710  15,666  16,485   38,810  42,861

Production and shipments in the third quarter of 1999 were higher than in
the second quarter of 1999 reflecting higher demand. Shipments in the first
three quarters of 1999 were higher than in the corresponding period of 1998.

Rio Tinto Brasil Limitada
Total production at the Corumba mine (Rio Tinto 100% (a)) in Corumba, Mato
Grosso do Sul, Brazil.

(100% basis)

Total iron ore
production
('000 tonnes)
(b)                309     266      211     227     235      929   673

(a)  Rio Tinto increased its interest in the Corumba mine, Brazil, from
   80% to 100% during June 1999.
(b)  Production includes by-product fines.

COAL

                   3Q      4Q       1Q      2Q      3Q     9 MTHS 9 MTHS
                   1998    1998     1999    1999    1999     1998   1999

Kennecott Energy and Coal Company
Total production from the mines operated by Kennecott Energy and Coal
Company in the US: Antelope (Rio Tinto 100%) in Wyoming; Cordero Rojo (Rio
Tinto 100%) in Wyoming; Jacobs Ranch (Rio Tinto 100%) in Wyoming; Spring
Creek (Rio Tinto 100%) in Montana; Decker (Rio Tinto 50%) in Montana and
Colowyo in Colorado, where Kennecott Energy has a partnership interest and
full management responsibility - (see footnote (e) above).

(100% basis)

Thermal coal production
('000 tonnes)
Antelope           4,625   4,993    4,590   5,183   5,548    12,624   15,321

Cordero Rojo       8,677   9,240    9,586   10,369  10,352   24,336   30,307

Spring
Creek              2,329   3,072    2,500   2,490   2,490    7,191     7,480

Decker             2,440   2,258    2,324   1,976   2,506    7,299     6,806

Colowyo            1,434   1,344    1,155   1,284   1,197    3,939     3,636

Jacobs Ranch
(a)                5,361   7,265    6,189   6,750   6,416    5,361    19,355

Total Kennecott Energy
Total coal
production
('000 tonnes)      24,866  28,172   26,344  28,052  28,509   60,750   82,905

(a)  Rio Tinto acquired the Jacobs Ranch mine in Wyoming, with effect from
   23 July 1998.

Production in the third quarter of 1999 was 15% higher than the same
period of 1998 due to expanded facilities at Antelope and Cordero Rojo.
Production was 36% higher in the first three quarters of 1999 than the
corresponding period of 1998 due to the above and also the acquisition of
Jacobs Ranch in July 1998.
COAL (Continued)

                   3Q      4Q       1Q      2Q      3Q     9 MTHS  9 MTHS
                   1998    1998     1999    1999    1999     1998    1999

Pacific Coal
Total production and sales from the Blair Athol mine (Rio Tinto 71.2%
(a)), the Kestrel Coal mine (Rio Tinto 80% (b)) and the Tarong Coal mine
(Rio Tinto 100%) in Queensland, Australia.

(100% basis)

Blair Athol
Thermal coal:
Production
('000 tonnes)      2,781   2,493    2,806   2,823   2,931    8,078 8,560
Sales
('000 tonnes)      3,535   2,490    2,569   3,334   2,636    8,403 8,540

Kestrel Coal
Thermal coal:
Production
('000 tonnes)      -       -        -       87      229      -     316
Sales
('000 tonnes)      -       -        -       -       64       -     64
Coking coal:
Production
('000 tonnes)      -       -        -       120     629      -     749
Sales
('000 tonnes)      -       -        -       -       338      -     338
Semi-hard coking
coal: (c)
Sales
('000 tonnes)      -       -        -       -       146      -     146

 Coal
Thermal coal:
Production
and sales
('000 tonnes)      1,316   1,219    1,155   1,543   1,371    3,811 4,069

Total Pacific Coal
Total coal
Production
('000 tonnes)      4,097   3,712    3,960   4,573   5,160    11,888 13,694

(a)  On 10 January 1999, Rio Tinto acquired an additional 14% beneficial
   interest in Blair Athol.
(b)  Rio Tinto acquired Kestrel Coal, formerly Gordonstone, in February
   1999 and production commenced in June 1999.
(c)  Semi-hard coking coal is a mixture of Thermal Coal and Coking Coal.
   The product mix is customer dependent.

Tarong sales have increased over the same period in 1998 as the Tarong
power station has increased its electricity sale in the deregulated
Queensland electricity market.

Blair Athol production has increased over the 1998 level as stocks were
run down in 1998 and have been rebuilt to meet 1999 sales.


Coal & Allied Industries Limited (a)
Total production and sales from the Hunter Valley Operations (Rio Tinto
71%) Mount Thorley mine (Rio Tinto 57%) and the Vickery mine (Rio Tinto
71%) all in New South Wales, Australia.

(100% basis)

Hunter Valley Operations (b)

Coking coal        694     995      793     654     933     2,169   2,380
Thermal coal       2,158   1,954    1,726   1,649   1,773   6,229   5,148

Mount Thorley
Thermal coal:
Production
('000 tonnes)      607     757      676     497     593      1,100 1,766
Coking coal:
Production
('000 tonnes)      593     580      622     691     615      1,480 1,928

Vickery
Thermal coal:
Production
('000 tonnes)      -       -        -       -       -        286   -

Total Coal & Allied
Total coal
Production
('000 tonnes)      4,052   4,286    3,816   3,492   3,914    11,264 11,222

Total sales
('000 tonnes) (c)  4,161   4,793    3,887   3,326   3,722    11,573 10,934
(a) Coal & Allied has purchased the Rio Tinto Group's coal interests in
New South Wales which included the Howick mine.  The restructuring of Coal
and Allied's shareholding leaves Rio Tinto with a 70.88% interest; these
transactions were effective from 1 July 1999.
(b) Hunter Valley Operations consist of the now merged Howick and Hunter
Valley mines.
(c)  Sales relate only to coal mined by the operation and exclude traded
coal.

Production for Hunter Valley Operations in 1999 was down on the
corresponding period in 1998 mainly due to higher production rates in the
first half of 1998 in order to complete contracts disrupted by industrial
action in the previous six months. Sales to a significant domestic
customer were lower due to lower contracted tonnage and a contractual
dispute. Deliveries were suspended by the customer during the third
quarter 1999 and are yet to resume.

Mount Thorley mine production for  the first nine months of 1999 was
higher than for 1998, which was affected by an industrial dispute.

The Vickery mine closed on 31 May 1998. The last of the stockpiled coal
was sold in the first quarter of 1999.

COAL (Continued)

                   3Q      4Q       1Q      2Q      3Q     9 MTHS  9 MTHS
                   1998    1998     1999    1999    1999     1998    1999

Kaltim Prima Coal
Total production and shipments from Kaltim Prima Coal (Rio Tinto 50%) in
Indonesia, including the share of production attributed to the Indonesian
Government (see footnote (k) above).

(100% basis)

Thermal coal:
Production
('000 tonnes)      3,871   3,904    3,552   3,164   4,036    10,824 10,752
Shipments
('000 tonnes)      3,564   3,988    3,831   3,165   3,717    10,585 10,713


Carbones del Cerrejon SA
Total production at the Central Cerrejon mine (Rio Tinto 33.3%).
(100% basis)

Central Cerrejon Mine
Thermal coal:
Production
('000 tonnes)      905     616      280     305     290      2,527 875


Rio Tinto Brasil Limitada
Total production from Copelmi's Recreio mine in the Rio Grande do Sul,
Brazil.  As a consequence of a restructuring, with effect from 1 April
1998, Rio Tinto ceased to have any direct interest in the production from
this mine; prior to that date, Rio Tinto had a 40% interest in the mine's
production.

(100% basis)

Recreio Mine
Thermal coal:
Production
('000 tonnes)      -       -        -       -       -        262   -



ALUMINIUM

                   3Q      4Q       1Q      2Q      3Q     9 MTHS  9 MTHS
                   1998    1998     1999    1999    1999     1998    1999

Comalco
Production and sales from operations owned by Comalco (Rio Tinto 72.4%
(a)) including Comalco's share of primary aluminium production from partly
owned smelters.

(100% of Comalco's share)

('000 tonnes)
Weipa mine, Queensland (Comalco 100%):
Beneficiated bauxite
production         2,464   2,716    2,931   2,675   2,784  6,592 8,390
Metal grade bauxite
Shipments          2,319    2,612   2,513   2,665   3,019  7,177 8,197
Calcined bauxite
production         30      47       20      32      27       86    78

Boke mine, Guinea (Comalco 4%):
Bauxite production 110     159      107     104     53      270     265
Primary aluminium production:
Bell Bay, Tasmania
(Comalco 100%)     36.4    36.4     37.0    37.2    37.9    105.5  112.1
Boyne Island, Queensland
(Comalco 54.2%)    64.8     65.7    64.2    66.8    68.0    191.7  199.0
Tiwai Point, New Zealand
(Comalco 79.4%)    63.8     64.2    63.1    64.5    65.6    187.9  193.3
Total Comalco
share              164.9   166.2    164.3   168.5   171.6   485.0  504.4
Total sales of Comalco
produced aluminium 161.9   174.1    167.3   166.6   169.3   485.7  503.1


(a) During the first half of 1999 Rio Tinto increased its interest in
   Comalco from 70.4% to 72.4%. Rio Tinto's share of production has been
   calculated using the weighted average of Rio Tinto's interest over the
   relevant periods.

Weipa production and shipments remain strong due to the upgrade in 1998
and requirements at Queensland Alumina Limited, Eurallumina SpA and in
international markets.

The Bell Bay, Boyne Island and Tiwai Point smelters all achieved record
daily average production.  Production gains from higher amperages and
process improvements continue. All cells have been online at Boyne Island
Line 3 since late April 1999.


Anglesey Aluminium
Total production at Anglesey Aluminium (Rio Tinto 51%) in the UK.

(100% basis)

Aluminium hot metal production
('000 tonnes)      33.6    34.1     34.3    34.2    33.9     101.1 102.4


INDUSTRIAL MINERALS

                   3Q      4Q       1Q      2Q      3Q     9 MTHS  9 MTHS
                   1998    1998     1999    1999    1999     1998    1999
BORATES

Rio Tinto Borax
Total production at the Boron mine (Rio Tinto 100%) in California, US and
at the Tincalayu, Sijes and Porvenir mines (Rio Tinto 100%) in Argentina.

(100% basis)

Borates
('000 tonnes) (a)  162     132      146     142     140      455   428

(a)  Production is expressed as B2O3 content.

A new mine plan has been adopted at Boron in response to the wall slides
which occurred in 1997 and 1998. The mine sustained only minor damage from
the California earthquake of October 17, the epicentre of which was in the
Mojave desert.

TITANIUM DIOXIDE FEEDSTOCK

Rio Tinto Iron & Titanium
Total Rio Tinto share of titanium dioxide feedstock production in Canada
and South Africa.

(Rio Tinto share)
Titanium dioxide
feedstock
production
('000 tonnes)      399     394      377     354     347      1,147 1,077

Production in recent periods has been affected by the consequences of a
fire at QIT's Canadian smelter in June.


                   3Q      4Q       1Q      2Q      3Q     9 MTHS 9 MTHS
                   1998    1998     1999    1999    1999     1998   1999
DIAMONDS

Argyle Diamonds
Total production from mining operations at Argyle Diamonds (Rio Tinto
59.7%) in Western Australia.

(100% basis)
Ore processed
('000 tonnes):
AK1 ore            2,944   2,785    2,524   2,435   1,992    8,457  6,951
Alluvial ore       1,588   1,197    1,646   1,282   1,527    5,115  4,455
Total ore
processed          4,532   3,983    4,170   3,717   3,519   13,571 11,407

Diamonds recovered ('000 carats):
AK1                11,875  8,463    6,565   6,886   7,433    30,496 20,884
Alluvial           605     593      544     378     473      1,292   1,395
Total
recovered          12,481   9,056   7,109   7,264   7,906    31,787 22,279

Lower AKI diamond production relative to the corresponding periods last
year is in line with lower tonnes processed and lower ore grades.

SALT

Dampier Salt

Total production of salt from Dampier and Lake MacLeod (Rio Tinto 64.9%)
in Western Australia.

(100% basis)

Salt production
('000 tonnes)      1,246   1,074    1,099   1,449   1,286    3,515 3,834

TALC

The Luzenac Group
Total Talc production from Luzenac Group operations in Europe (Rio Tinto
99.9%) and North America (Rio Tinto 100%).

(100% basis)

Talc
Production
('000 tonnes)      298     289      310     325     321      906   956


OTHER METALS

                   3Q      4Q       1Q      2Q      3Q     9 MTHS 9 MTHS
                   1998    1998     1999    1999    1999     1998   1999

NICKEL

Rio Tinto Brasil Limitada

Total nickel in matte production at the Fortaleza mine (Rio Tinto 100%) in
Brazil.

Production
(tonnes)           1,806   1,923    2,171   1,726   2,620    2,747 6,517


Rio Tinto Zimbabwe

Toll refined metal production at the Empress nickel refinery (Rio Tinto
56.1%) in Zimbabwe.

(100% basis)

Production
(tonnes)           1,705   1,780    1,650   1,847   1,802    4,650 5,299

URANIUM

Rossing Uranium Ltd
Total uranium production at the Rossing Uranium mine (Rio Tinto 68.58%) in
Namibia.

(100% basis)

Production
(tonnes U3O8)      863     685      840     800     813      2,572 2,453

ZINC

Norzink AS
Total zinc production at Norzink AS (Rio Tinto 50%) in Norway.
(100% basis)

Production
('000 tonnes)      35.0    34.3     37.0    35.0    36.3     103.6 108.3


More to follow


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