Diavik Diamond Project

RIO TINTO PLC
23 August 1999

Please see the attached, released by Diavik Diamond Mines Inc on
Friday 20th August 1999.

                  Diavik Diamonds Project Status

Yellowknife,  NT  (August 20, 1999) - Diavik  Diamond  Mines  Inc.
(DDMI),  the  Manager  of the Diavik Diamonds  Project,  announced
today  that  the feasibility study for the project has reached  an
advanced stage of completion in anticipation of a decision by  the
Canadian Minister of Environment with respect to approval  of  the
Comprehensive Study Report issued for the project in June 1999 and
has  been  delivered to the Diavik Diamonds Project joint  venture
participants.

The Comprehensive Study Review process has required more time than
originally  envisaged  to  fully take into  account  the  in-depth
presentations  and  analyses submitted  during  the  Comprehensive
Study  reviews,  and inputs from this process have  been  factored
into  the Diavik Diamonds Project design and implementation plans.
There is no formal timeline associated with the current stages  of
the  Comprehensive  Review.   However,  DDMI  believes  sufficient
progress  has  been made to allow it to prepare for  the  upcoming
regulatory  processes  that would follow  a  positive  Ministerial
decision.

The  project  implementation  plan, to  be  included  with  DDMI's
upcoming  submissions with respect to its water license  and  land
lease    applications,   calls   for   construction   of   project
infrastructures in the year 2000, construction of water  retention
dikes  in 2001 and 2002, dewatering and overburden removal in  the
second half of 2002 and commencement of diamond production in  the
first  half  of  2003.  DDMI currently estimates costs  of  C$1.28
billion to bring the project into production.

The above-mentioned implementation plan, including commencement of
construction  activities  in the year  2000,  is  contingent  upon
approval  in sufficient time and implementation of recommendations
contained  in the Comprehensive Study Report conducted  under  the
Canadian  Environmental Assessment Act, receipt of  all  necessary
permits  and  licences  required for  construction,  and  investor
approval.

The  Diavik  Diamonds Project is an unincorporated  joint  venture
between  DDMI (60%) and Aber Diamonds Mines Ltd. (40%).   DDMI  is
headquartered  in  Yellowknife, Northwest Territories,  and  is  a
wholly owned subsidiary of Rio Tinto plc of London, England.  Aber
Diamond  Mines Ltd is a wholly owned subsidiary of Aber  Resources
Ltd of Vancouver, British Columbia.

For  more  information,  contact Tom  Hoefer,  Manager  of  Public
Affairs at Tel: [phone].