Statement re Coal & Allied

Rio Tinto PLC
29 May 2002



                     Coal & Allied completes sale of Moura


Coal & Allied Industries Limited has completed the sale of its 55% interest in
the Moura Joint Venture in central Queensland to Mitsui & Co., Ltd for US$166
million.

Mitsui exercised its pre-emptive right after Coal & Allied had agreed to sell
the interest to MIM Holdings Ltd.



For further information, please contact:


LONDON                                                  AUSTRALIA
Media Relations                                         Media Relations
Lisa Cullimore                                          Ian Head
+ 44 (0) 20 7753 2305                                   [phone]
Investor Relations                                      Investor Relations
Peter Cunningham                                        Dave Skinner
+ 44 (0) 20 7753 2401                                   [phone]
Richard Brimelow                                        Daphne Morros
+ 44 (0) 20 7753 2326                                    [phone]


Website: www.riotinto.com



Note to Editors

Rio Tinto owns 72.7 per cent of Coal & Allied Industries.



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