Lihir Gold Limited

Rio Tinto PLC
13 November 2003



Lihir Gold Limited issued the following news release in Australia earlier today.
All dollar amounts are in Australian currency.  Rio Tinto held a 16.3%
interest in Lihir Gold prior to this announcement.

CAPITAL RAISING



Lihir Gold Limited (Lihir) announced today the successful completion of its
overnight placement involving the issue of 140 million shares.

The placement closed significantly oversubscribed, reflecting very strong demand
from a combination of domestic and international institutions.  The final price
of A$1.55 per share represents a discount of 8.8% to Wednesday's closing price.
The issue raised A$217 million (equivalent to approximately US$155 million).

The shares will be allotted on Wednesday 19 November 2003, with quotation
expected to occur on Thursday 20 November 2003. The placement increases the
number of ordinary fully paid shares in Lihir to 1,282.3 million.

The new shares will rank equally with existing ordinary shares in all respects.

The Company has signalled its intention to offer shareholders in Australia,
Papua New Guinea and New Zealand the opportunity to purchase up to $5,000 of
Lihir shares through a Share Purchase Plan ('SPP'). Subject to the grant of
waivers by the Securities Commission of Papua New Guinea and the Australian
Stock Exchange, the SPP will proceed at an issue price of A$1.55 per share. The
record date for the SPP will be Tuesday 25 November 2003 and details will be
mailed to shareholders in approximately two weeks.



This announcement has been prepared for use in Australia and may not be released
or distributed in the United States.  It does not constitute an offer of any
securities for sale in Australia, the United States or any other jurisdiction.
Any securities described in this document may not be offered or sold in the
United States in the absence of registration under the US Securities Act of 1933
or an exemption from registration.





For further information, please contact:


LONDON                                               AUSTRALIA

Media Relations                                      Media Relations

Lisa Cullimore                                       Ian Head
Office:  [phone]                        Office:  [phone]
Mobile: [phone]                         Mobile: [phone]

Investor Relations                                   Investor Relations

Peter Cunningham                                     Dave Skinner
Office:  [phone]                        Office:  [phone]
Mobile: [phone]                         Mobile: [phone]
Richard Brimelow                                     Daphne Morros
Office:  [phone]                        Office:  [phone]
Mobile: [phone]                         Mobile: [phone]



Website: www.riotinto.com




                      This information is provided by RNS
            The company news service from the London Stock Exchange   D

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