Coal & Allied Acquisition

Rio Tinto PLC
30 January 2001


Coal & Allied Industries, an Australian public company, which is 70.9 per
cent owned by Rio Tinto, issued the following in Australia today.
 
 
 
               Completion of purchase of Peabody's coal assets                
 
Coal & Allied Industries Limited has completed the purchase of Peabody's
Australian subsidiaries pursuant to a sale and purchase agreement signed on
26 December 2000.
 

For further information, please contact:
 
 
LONDON 
 
Media Relations                   Investor Relations 
Lisa Cullimore                    Peter Jarvis
+ 44 (0) 20 7753 2305             + 44 (0) 20 7753 2401
 
                                  Jonathan Murrin
                                  [phone]
 
AUSTRALIA 
 
Media Relations                   Investor Relations 
Ian Head                          Dave Skinner
[phone]               [phone]
                              
                                  Daphne Morros
                                  [phone]
 
Website: www.riotinto.com