Director Shareholding

Rio Tinto PLC
26 January 2001

                       DEALINGS BY DIRECTORS


1)  NAME OF COMPANY

    RIO TINTO PLC

2)  NAME OF DIRECTOR

    Sir ROBERT WILSON

3)  Please state whether notification indicates that it is in respect of
    holding of the shareholder named in 2 above or in respect of a
    non-beneficial interest or in the case of an individual holder
    if it is a holding of that person's spouse or children under the
    age of 18 or in respect of an non-beneficial interest

    AS IN 2 ABOVE

4)  Name of the registered holder(s) and, if more than one holder, the
    number of shares held by each of them. (If notified)

    Sir ROBERT WILSON                  60,644
    LADY WILSON                        48,199
    RIO TINTO TRUSTEES LTD              2,614
    PEP                                   352
    *HSBC TRUSTEE (C) LTD             329,609

5)  Please state whether notification relates to a person(s) connected
    with the Director named in 2 above and identify the connected person(s)

    N/A

6)  Please state the nature of the transaction. For PEP transactions
    please indicate whether general/single co PEP and if discretionary/non
    discretionary

    EXERCISE OF OPTIONS UNDER THE RULES OF THE RIO TINO SAVINGS RELATED
    SHARE OPTION SCHEME

7)  Number of shares/amount of
    stock acquired

    470

8)   (MINIMAL %)
    of issued Class


9)  Number of shares/amount
    of stock disposed



10)  ( N/A %)
    of issued Class


11) Class of security

    ORDINARY SHARES OF 10p

12) Price per share

    734p

13) Date of transaction

    26.01.01

14) Date company informed

    26.01.01

15) Total holding following this notification

    441,418

16) Total percentage holding of issued class following this notification

    0.041%

     IF A DIRECTOR HAS BEEN GRANTED OPTIONS BY THE COMPANY PLEASE
                    COMPLETE THE FOLLOWING BOXES

17) Date of grant



18) Period during which or date on which exercisable



19) Total amount paid (if any) for grant of the option



20) Description of shares or debentures involved: class, number.



21) Exercise price (if fixed at time of grant) or indication that price
    is to be fixed at time of exercise



22) Total number of shares or debentures over which options held
    following this notification



23) Any additional information

    *INTEREST IN THESE SHARES AS A POTENTIAL BENEFICIARY OF THE RIO TINTO
     EMPLOYEE SHARE OWNERSHIP TRUST

24) Name of contact and telephone number for queries

    M J WHYTE - 020 7753 2317


25) Name and signature of authorised company official responsible for
    making this notification

   Date of Notification     26 JANUARY 2001