Rio Tinto Coal Australia

Coal will contribute to the economy for many years to come

Rio Tinto Coal Australia is one of the country's leading mining organisations with open cut and underground coal operations in Queensland, (Blair Athol, Tarong, Hail Creek and Kestrel Mines) and in New South Wales, where the company manages operations at Bengalla, Mount Thorley Warkworth and Hunter Valley Operations for Coal & Allied.

These operations produce over 50 million tonnes a year and are responsible for a turnover in excess of A$1 billion. Around 3,000 people are employed by this dynamic business unit.

A number of techniques are used including traditional open cut strip mining at Blair Athol and Hail Creek and the underground longwall method at Kestrel.

Expansion projects, new technologies, consultation programs and business improvements have been key factors in the success of Rio Tinto Coal Australia as the business unit strives to extract the maximum available coal in the safest and most cost effective way possible.

Future developments are already underway with plans to open, the Clermont deposit, a proposed thermal coal mine to the east of the current Blair Athol site, and a feasibility study for Mount Pleasant in the Hunter Valley is underway.

Rio Tinto Coal Australia is supported from corporate headquarters in Brisbane, Queensland.