Rule 8.3 - RIO TINTO PLC

FORM 8.3

    DEALINGS BY PERSONS WITH INTERESTS IN SECURITIES REPRESENTING 1% OR MORE
              (Rule 8.3 of the City Code on Takeovers and Mergers)


1.   KEY INFORMATION

Name of person dealing        BARCLAYS PLC
(Note 1)
Company dealt in              RIO TINTO
Class of relevant security    ORD GBP0.10
to which the dealings being
disclosed relate (Note 2)
Date of dealing               17 March 2008

2.   INTERESTS, SHORT POSITIONS AND RIGHTS TO SUBSCRIBE

(a)  Interests and short positions (following dealing) in the class of relevant
security dealt in (Note 3)

                            Long                     Short

                      Number       (%)         Number       (%)

(1) Relevant      46,549,677      4.67%     1,620,376      0.16%
securities
(2) Derivatives    2,882,169      0.29%        64,793      0.01%
(other than
options)
(3) Options and      186,650      0.02%       100,810      0.01%
agreements to
purchase/sell
Total             49,618,496      4.97%     1,785,979      0.18%


(b)  Interests and short positions in relevant securities of the company, other
     than the class dealt in (Note 3)

Class of                    Long                     Short
relevant
security:

                  Number              (%)   Number              (%)

(1) Relevant
securities

(2) Derivatives
(other than
options)

(3) Options and
agreements to
purchase/sell

Total


  (c)  Rights to subscribe (Note 3)

Class of relevant security:   Details



3.   DEALINGS (Note 4)

  (a)  Purchases and sales

Purchase/sale Number of Securities  Price per unit
                                       (GBP)
Purchase      182                   54.8330
Purchase      1,160                 53.3489
Purchase      1,719                 53.0085
Purchase      937                   50.6100
Purchase      75                    53.0200
Purchase      31,536                55.5307
Purchase      700                   52.7909
Purchase      1,545                 53.0867
Purchase      21,651                53.2335
Purchase      128                   52.7500
Purchase      3,508                 52.9857
Purchase      124                   53.6500
Purchase      25,848                52.4063
Purchase      60,000                52.9289
Purchase      15,000                50.6100
Purchase      10,682                55.2700
Purchase      1,466                 55.3518
Purchase      3,997                 50.6176
Purchase      9,229                 52.9432
Purchase      29,239                55.5515
Purchase      831                   55.1132
Purchase      31,890                52.0716
Purchase      5,721                 52.9171
Purchase      817                   54.8330
Purchase      17,418                52.1873
Purchase      11,700                52.9539
Purchase      4,278                 53.1583
Sale          1,052                 52.7298
Sale          100                   53.4300
Sale          285                   52.7298
Sale          1,677                 50.6100
Sale          200                   54.7710
Sale          128                   52.6400
Sale          3,070                 53.1407
Sale          19                    52.7016
Sale          181                   52.7298
Sale          20,906                53.1785
Sale          9,229                 52.9432
Sale          5,876                 52.3188
Sale          85                    53.4000
Sale          2,478                 52.7298
Sale          30                    52.4500
Sale          89                    54.3900
Sale          543                   50.6100
Sale          235                   52.7298
Sale          31,536                55.5307
Sale          2,400                 53.4200
Sale          150                   53.3200
Sale          46                    52.0400
Sale          200                   53.4100
Sale          10,900                53.7739
Sale          65                    52.7500
Sale          22,404                52.6208
Sale          1,267                 53.4800
Sale          1,719                 53.6201
Sale          20,274                52.7216
Sale          140                   53.4400
Sale          43                    Transfer
Sale          92,444                53.1041
Sale          3,109                 52.9890
Sale          14,998                52.9862
Sale          198                   52.7298
Sale          928                   52.7298
Sale          120                   53.4300
Sale          416                   52.7298
Sale          100                   53.4300
Sale          13                    52.3400
Sale          800                   50.9424


(b)  Derivatives transactions (other than options)
Product name,  Long/Short    Number of     Price per
(e.g. CFD)     (Note 6)      Securities    unit (GBP)
CFD            Short         3997          50.6175
CFD            Short         31890         52.0716
CFD            Short         17418         52.1873
CFD            Short         25848         52.4063
CFD            Short         60000         52.9288
CFD            Short         11700         52.9539
CFD            Short         1719          53.0085
CFD            Short         1545          53.0867
CFD            Short         4278          53.1583
CFD            Short         1160          53.3488
CFD            Long          800           50.9423
CFD            Long          5876          52.3188
CFD            Long          22404         52.6207
CFD            Long          20274         52.7215
CFD            Long          14998         52.9862
CFD            Long          3109          52.9889
CFD            Long          92444         53.1041
CFD            Long          3070          53.1406
CFD            Long          1719          53.6201


(c)  Options transactions in respect of existing securities

(i)  Writing, selling, purchasing or varying

Product name,   Writing,          Number of          Exercise  Type, e.g.      Expiry      Option money
e.g. call       selling,          securities to      price     American,       date        paid/received
option          purchasing,       which the option             European etc.               per unit (GBP)
                varying etc.      relates (GBP)
CALL            Selling           20000              54        AMER            18/04/2008  2.96
PUT             Purchase          20000              52        AMER            18/04/2008  2.33

(ii) Exercising

Product name, e.g.  Number of           Exercise price per
call option         securities          unit (Note 5)




(d)  Other dealings (including new securities) (Note 4)


Nature of transaction Details           Price per unit
(Note 8)                                (if applicable)
                                        (Note 5)




4.   OTHER INFORMATION
None

Agreements, arrangements or understandings relating to options or derivatives


Full details of any agreement, arrangement or understanding between the
person disclosing and any other person relating to the voting rights of
any relevant securities under any option referred to on this form or
relating to the voting rights or future acquisition or disposal of any
relevant securities to which any derivative referred to on this form is
referenced.  If none, this should be stated.




Is a Supplemental Form 8 attached? (Note 9)                 YES


Date of disclosure                         18 March 2008
Contact name                               Geoff Smith
Telephone number                           020 7116 2913
If a connected EFM, name of
offeree/offeror with which connected
If a connected EFM, state nature of
connection (Note 10)


Notes

The Notes on Form 8.3 can be viewed on the Takeover Panel's website at
www.thetakeoverpanel.org.uk

SUPPLEMENTAL FORM 8

DETAILS OF OPEN POSITIONS
(This form should be attached to Form 8.1, Form 8.1(b)(ii) or Form 8.3, as appropriate)

OPEN POSITIONS (Note 1)
Product name,     Written or  Number of securities   Exercise price   Type, e.g.     Expiry date
e.g. call option  purchased   to which the option    (Note 2)         American,
                              or derivative relates                   European etc.
Option            Purchased   250                    3,800.0000       EURO 20/06/2008
Option            Purchased   -300                   3,800.0000       EURO 20/06/2008
Option            Purchased   -250                   5,200.0000       EURO 20/03/2008
Option            Purchased   -250                   2,500.0000       EURO 20/06/2008
Option            Purchased   -10                    5,200.0000       EURO 19/12/2008
Option            Purchased   50                     5,400.0000       EURO 20/03/2008
Option            Purchased   125                    4,400.0000       EURO 20/06/2008
Option            Purchased   -100,000               30.0000          AMER 20/06/2008
Option            Purchased   150                    4,000.0000       EURO 20/03/2008
Option            Purchased   100,000                56.0000          AMER 18/12/2009
Option            Purchased   250                    3,000.0000       EURO 20/06/2008
Option            Purchased   350                    4,600.0000       EURO 19/12/2008
Option            Purchased   350                    4,600.0000       EURO 19/12/2008
Option            Purchased   20,000                 54.0000          AMER 18/04/2008
Option            Purchased   20,000                 52.0000          AMER 18/04/2008
Option            Purchased   45,000                 54.0000          AMER 20/03/2008
Option            Purchased   125                    4,400.0000       EURO 20/06/2008



Notes

1. Where there are open option positions or open derivative positions (except for CFDs), full details should be given.
Full details of any  existing agreements to purchase or to sell  should also be given on this form.

2. For all prices and other monetary amounts, the currency must be stated.

For details of the Code's dealing disclosure requirements, see Rule 8 and its Notes which can be viewed on the Takeover
Panel's website at www.thetakeoverpanel.org.uk