Comalco Production Report to 31 March 2000

Rio Tinto PLC
17 April 2000


        Comalco production report for the quarter ended 31 March 2000         


                         First   First  Second   Third  Fourth    Full
                       quarter quarter quarter quarter quarter    Year
                          2000    1999    1999    1999    1999    1999
('000 tonnes)                                                   
Mining & Refining 
                                              
Weipa mine, Queensland 
(Comalco 100%):                                         
Beneficiated             2,777   2,931   2,675   2,784   2,997  11,386
bauxite production
Metal grade bauxite      2,729   2,513   2,665   3,019   2,997  11,194
shipments
Calcined bauxite            33      20      32      27      34     112
production
                                                                
Boke mine, Guinea 
(Comalco 4%):
Bauxite production         173     107     104      53     177     441
                                             
Queensland Alumina Limited,
Queensland 
(Comalco 30.3%)
Alumina production         273     272     274     277     279   1,101
                                                                
Eurallumina SpA,                                                
Sardinia (Comalco 56.2%)                                                 
Alumina production         143     130     133     142     141     546
                                                                
Smelting 
                                                       
Primary aluminium production:
Bell Bay, Tasmania        37.1    37.0    37.2    37.9    39.0     151.1
(Comalco 100%)
Boyne Island,             69.9    64.2    66.8    68.0    68.7     267.7
Queensland
(Comalco 54.2%)
Tiwai Point,              65.2    63.1    64.5    65.6    66.1     259.4
New Zealand
(Comalco 79.4%)
Total Comalco share      172.2   164.3   168.5   171.6   173.8     678.2
                                                                
Total sales of Comalco   169.6   167.3   166.6   169.3   173.3     676.5
produced aluminium
                                                                

Weipa bauxite production mainly reflected the impact of seasonal weather
conditions.

Queensland Alumina Limited production remained strong and Eurallumina SpA
achieved record alumina production as process improvements continued.

Overall daily production at the aluminium smelters remains strong with Boyne
Smelters Limited achieving record production due to ongoing process
improvements.


For further information, please contact:

Media Relations                    Investor Relations

John Hughes                        Peter Jarvis
+ 44 20 7753 2331                  + 44 20 7753 2401

Website: www.riotinto.com


Note:

Comalco is presently 72.4 per cent owned by Rio Tinto.