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               16 October 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      47,524,744      4.74%       616,936     0.06%
securities
(2) Derivatives      807,871      0.08%     1,927,509     0.19%
(other than
options)
(3) Options and      101,200      0.01%       276,978     0.03%
agreements to
purchase/sell
Total             48,433,815      4.83%     2,821,423     0.28%


(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         1,723                 20.5000
Purchase         30,834                20.5000
Purchase         5,085                 22.3288
Purchase         713                   20.5000
Purchase         217,375               22.2451
Purchase         850                   20.5000
Purchase         140,972               21.7337
Purchase         150,250               21.2837
Purchase         7,182                 20.5000
Purchase         40,000                20.5125
Purchase         1,142                 20.5000
Purchase         2,298                 20.5000
Purchase         12,570                21.6200
Purchase         12,465                21.6700
Purchase         21,709                22.5033
Purchase         21,968                22.4603
Purchase         105                   23.5700
Purchase         18,783                21.5956
Purchase         132                   Transfer
Purchase         200                   23.0500
Purchase         90                    27.5900 EUR
Purchase         808                   30.7600
Purchase         30,317                22.1898
Purchase         206,928               22.4423
Purchase         1,876                 20.5000
Purchase         249                   20.5000
Purchase         26,259                21.7291
Purchase         12,020                21.6900
Purchase         10,803                20.5000
Purchase         47,880                22.2239
Purchase         290                   20.5000
Purchase         118                   21.0500
Purchase         31,200                21.9605
Purchase         2,000                 52.0000
Sale             25,000                20.5000
Sale             460                   20.5000
Sale             12,465                21.6700
Sale             40,000                20.5125
Sale             460                   20.5000
Sale             31,200                21.9605
Sale             1,800                 22.2334
Sale             75,421                20.5000
Sale             65                    Transfer
Sale             137,475               21.0325
Sale             112,693               21.9384
Sale             31,200                21.9605
Sale             250                   21.8700
Sale             38,037                22.1386
Sale             589                   Transfer
Sale             50                    26.5000 EUR
Sale             6                     20.5000
Sale             1,876                 20.5000
Sale             62                    22.4700
Sale             63                    22.5100
Sale             70                    21.8800
Sale             31                    22.5600
Sale             11,300                23.5700
Sale             425                   23.0500
Sale             105                   20.0100
Sale             210                   22.0900
Sale             537                   Transfer
Sale             12,570                21.6200
Sale             893                   Transfer
Sale             1,200                 22.3071
Sale             40,000                20.5125
Sale             1,135                 20.5000
Sale             132                   Transfer
Sale             200                   23.0500
Sale             105                   23.5700
Sale             29,682                21.8611
Sale             199                   21.5900
Sale             19                    Transfer
Sale             19,009                21.5440
Sale             150                   22.1600

(b)  Derivatives transactions (other than options)
Product name,  Long/Short    Number of     Price per
(e.g. CFD)     (Note 6)      Securities    unit (GBP)
CFD            Long          40000         20.5125
CFD            Long          137475        21.0325
CFD            Long          19009         21.5439
CFD            Long          81328         21.774
CFD            Long          29682         21.8611
CFD            Long          31200         21.9604
CFD            Long          38037         22.1385
CFD            Long          1200          22.3071
CFD            Long          31365         22.3644
CFD            Long          200           23.05
CFD            Short         2437          20.8565
CFD            Short         118476        21.0137
CFD            Short         18783         21.5956
CFD            Short         26259         21.7291
CFD            Short         140972        21.7337
CFD            Short         204           22.1232
CFD            Short         30317         22.1898
CFD            Short         47880         22.2238
CFD            Short         217375        22.245
CFD            Short         31774         22.2904
CFD            Short         206928        22.4423
CFD            Short         21968         22.4602
CFD            Short         21709         22.5033
CFD            Short         6058          22.5826
CFD            Short         1444          22.5827
CFD            Short         1418          22.6118
CFD            Short         200           23.05

(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)
Put             Selling          2                   52        EURO            19/12/2008     0.00


(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                         17 October 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   -50,000                64.0000          AMER           21/11/2008
Option            Purchased   -100,000               64.0000          AMER           21/11/2008
Option            Purchased   -125,000               45.0000          AMER           20/03/2009
Option            Purchased   100,000                56.0000          AMER           18/12/2009
Option            Purchased   -115                   5,200.0000       EURO           19/12/2008
Option            Purchased   -145                   5,200.0000       EURO           19/12/2008
Option            Purchased   -270                   6,400.0000       EURO           19/12/2008
Option            Purchased   -300                   4,400.0000       EURO           19/12/2008
Option            Purchased   -300                   4,400.0000       EURO           19/12/2008
Option            Purchased   -350                   5,000.0000       EURO           19/12/2008
Option            Purchased   -500                   7,000.0000       EURO           19/12/2008
Option            Purchased   500                    5,000.0000       EURO           19/12/2008
Option            Purchased   350                    4,600.0000       EURO           19/12/2008
Option            Purchased   350                    4,600.0000       EURO           19/12/2008


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