Sydney, 30 May 2012

Xstrata Coal has resumed operations at its Blakefield South mine, and expects to return to full production by mid-July.

Operations at Blakefield South mine ceased in January 2011 when an underground fire ignited behind the mine?s longwall. Mine personnel were unable to re-enter the mine until June 2011 to begin planning and rebuilding the longwall.

Longwall production resumed on May 15 this year, six weeks ahead of schedule.

Mine personnel redeployed at Beltana, West Wallsend and Ravensworth Underground Operations during the Blakefield South closure have been recalled. Newly-recruited staff are presently training at Xstrata Coal?s underground training facility at Baal Bone mine in western New South Wales.

?Our team at Blakefield South has done an amazing job to safely recover the mine after the fire, rebuild the longwall, and resume production ahead of an ambitious timetable,? Operations Manager, Mark Munro said. ?We thank them for their commitment and resourcefulness.?

Blakefield South underground is part of Xstrata Coal?s Bulga Complex, which also includes an open cut mine and a coal handling and preparation plant.

Blakefield South produces approximately 10 million tonnes of semi soft coking and thermal coal each year for export, primarily to Japan.

End

Neither the content of the company's website nor the content of any other website accessible from hyperlinks on the company's website is incorporated into, or forms part of, this announcement

Xstrata contacts:

Francis De Rosa

Alison Flynn

Telephone	+61 2 9253 6789	Telephone	+44 20 7968 2838
Mobile	+61 (0) 417 074751	Mobile	+44 7769 314374
Email	fderosa@xstratacoal.com	Email	aflynn@xstrata.com

www.xstratacoal.com

About Xstrata:

We are one of the world?s largest mining and metals companies - a major producer of seven commodities used in everything from constructing buildings and delivering electricity to developing jet engines and mobile phones. We operate in more than 20 countries and employ more than 70,000 people globally.

Xstrata Coal is the world?s largest exporter of seaborne thermal coal used to generate electricity and one of the largest producers of coal used to make steel. Our headquarters are in Sydney and we have interests in over 30 operating coal mines in Australia, South Africa and Colombia and exploration projects in British Columbia, Canada.

Xstrata plc

	PRODUCER
	CODE : XTA.L

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Xstrata is a zinc and lead producing company based in Switzerland.

Xstrata produces zinc, lead, bauxite, coal, cobalt, copper, gold, molybdenum, nickel and silver in Argentina, in Australia, in Botswana, in Canada, in Chile, in Colombia, in Jamaica and in Peru, develops cobalt, copper, copper , gold, lead, molybdenum, nickel, palladium, platinum, silver, uranium and zinc in Argentina, in Australia, in Canada, in Chile, in Dominican Republic, in New Caledonia and in Philippines, and holds various exploration projects in Argentina, in Australia, in Botswana, in Brazil, in Canada, in Chile, in Greenland, in Ireland, in Mexico, in Norway, in Panama, in Papua New Guinea, in Peru, in South Africa, in Turkey and in Yemen.

Its main assets in production are ALUMBRERA in Argentina, KIDD CREEK MINE (MINE D), CRAIG - ONAPING (SUDBURY) MINE, PELLETIER LAKE (STADACONA MINE), NORALEX (WEST ANSIL, HORNE, ETC), LINDSLEY MINE, BUCKO LAKE, STRATHCONA, KIDD CREEK DIVISION, RAGLAN, KIDD, BRUNSWICK MINE, SUDBURY and FALCONBRIDGE MINE in Canada, MOUNT ISA LEAD ZINC SILVER, HYC MCARTHUR RIVER, ERNEST HENRY, BOUNTY MINE, COSMOS MINE, THUNDERBOX, EMILY ANN (LAKE JOHNSTON), MT MCCLURE, MT ISA, EMILY ANN, SILVER SWAN, MT ISA BLACK STAR and MT ISA ENTERPRISE in Australia, LOMAS BAYAS and COLLAHUASI MINE in Chile, TINTAYA, ANTAMINA, ANTAMINA and ANTAMINA ZINC ORE in Peru, PHOENIX MINE (TATI NICKEL) in Botswana, ST ANN BAUXITE in Jamaica and PRODECO in Colombia, its main assets in development are LENNARD SHELF, MAGGIE HAYS, CLONCURRY COPPER and LENNARD SHELF in Australia, CERRO DE MAIMON and FALCONDO MINE in Dominican Republic, HACKETT RIVER, PERSEVERANCE, ONAPING DEPTH, NICKEL RIM SOUTH, FRASER MORGAN, ONAPING DEPTH, PREMIERE RIDGE and PD1 in Canada, AGUA RICA and EL PACHON in Argentina, LOMAS BAYAS II in Chile, KONIAMBO in New Caledonia and TAMPAKAN in Philippines and its main exploration properties are HORNE SMELTER, ISLAND COPPER, ROBB LAKE, MEGATEM, MARY MARCH, KONRAD, TROILUS / TORTIGNY, CEZINC, DONKIN, MUSK, AKWESKWA, TORTIGNY, SABIN, CHANCE, TULKS NORTH, CATFACE, GREAT BURNT LAKE, MATAGAMI, TULK SOUTH - DOMINO, TULK LONG LAKE MAIN ZONE, SKIDDER, TULK SOUTH BOOMERANG, TULK EAST A ZONE, TULK EAST B ZONE, WEST ANSIL, HEATH STEELE MINES, GASPE MINE and MONTCALM TWP PROP in Canada, MUSGRAVE, BLACK ROCK, TOBY CREEK, MOUNT PEAKE and SINCLAIR in Australia, MANGABAL in Brazil, ELMALAAN in Turkey, KABANGA in Tanzania, FRIEDA - NENA DEPOSIT in Papua New Guinea, DIKOLOTI in Botswana and PALLAS GREEN in Ireland.

Xstrata is listed in Germany and in United Kingdom. Its market capitalisation is GBX 2 893.1 billions as of today (US$ 4 497.6 billions, € 3 435.7 billions).

Its stock quote reached its lowest recent point on April 30, 2013 at GBX 963.50, and its highest recent level on May 02, 2013 at GBX 999.70.

Xstrata has 3 002 692 076 shares outstanding.

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Xstrata plc

Xstrata Coal resumes operations at Blakefield South mine

Xstrata plc