Re Agreement

Rio Tinto PLC 10 November 2000 Comalco and Metal Exchange Corporation Announce Partnership Comalco Aluminium Limited of Australia and Metal Exchange Corporation are pleased to announce an agreement for the marketing of Comalco's products in North America. The agreement is a long-term relationship beginning in January 2001, for the marketing of Comalco's primary aluminium foundry alloys (T-bar and standard ingot), billet, and high purity aluminium. Comalco has made a long-term commitment to developing a North American customer base and looks forward to introducing consumers to its high quality product and service. As its sole representative in North America, Metal Exchange will establish a marketing and sales structure, along with a logistics and service infrastructure designed to meet the needs of Comalco's customers. In describing the venture, Mr Steve Hodgson, Comalco's General Manager, Sales and Marketing, commented, 'We recognise through our US sales activities in recent years, the value customers place on product quality and customer service. After exploring a number of alternative models, we believe the arrangement with Metal Exchange Corporation best satisfies our customers' needs for the full range of products on offer'. Mr Hodgson added, 'Whilst the arrangement confirms Comalco's long term commitment to the North American market, customers in traditional Asian, Australasian and European markets can expect a continuation of the high levels of service to which they have become accustomed'. Metal Exchange Corporation is a manufacturing and trading corporation headquartered in St Louis, Missouri, and specialises in the sale of primary and secondary aluminium products along with other non-ferrous metals. Comalco, a supplier of bauxite, alumina, and primary aluminium to world markets, has been in business since 1957 and is the world's seventh largest aluminium company. Its headquarters are in Brisbane, Australia and it operates smelters at Boyne Island (490,000 tonnes) in Queensland, Bell Bay (155,000 tonnes) in Tasmania and Tiwai Point (330,000 tonnes) in New Zealand. Comalco is wholly owned by Rio Tinto. For further information, please contact: Media Relations Investor Relations Lisa Cullimore Peter Jarvis + 44 (0) 20 7753 2305 + 44 (0) 20 7753 2401 Website: www.riotinto.com

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