Drilling Report/Directorate

Rio Tinto PLC
21 December 2000


The following was released in Zimbabwe today Rio Tinto Zimbabwe Limited.
 
                          RIO TINTO ZIMBABWE LIMITED                          

 
Murowa Diamond Prospect 
 
The recently concluded feasibility study has confirmed that the three
kimberlites discovered near Zvishavane represent a mining reserve of 16.5
million tonnes at a grade of 0.9 carats per tonne. A project to mine 500,000
tonnes per year of the kimberlite with the possibility of subsequent
expansion following initial mining has been shown to be viable. Requirements
to enable the project to proceed are now being investigated.
 
More information is expected to be available by the time of the Statement to
Shareholders in February 2001.
 

Directorate 
 
Mr. AF Nhau has accepted an invitation to join the Board of Rio Tinto
Zimbabwe as a non-executive director. He will retire in terms of Clause 95 of
that Company's Articles of Association, and being eligible, will offer
himself for re-election at the next Annual General Meeting.
 
Mr Nhau is a Chartered Secretary and Chairman and CEO of Lowe Lintas &
Partners. He is Chairman of the Board of Directors of Zimbabwe Financial
Holdings Limited and is a Director of a number of other companies in Zimbabwe.
 
 
For further information, please contact:
 
LONDON 
Media Relations                Investor Relations 
Lisa Cullimore                 Peter Jarvis
+ 44 (0) 20 7753 2305          + 44(0) 20 7753 2401
 
AUSTRALIA 
Media Relations               Investor Relations 
Fiona Powell                  Dave Skinner               
[phone]            [phone]     
                    
                              Daphne Morros
                              [phone]
Website: www.riotinto.com

Notes 
 
*Rio Tinto owns 56 per cent of Rio Tinto Zimbabwe. 
*The Murowa Diamond Prospect is owned 50 per cent by Rio Tinto Zimbabwe and 50
per cent by Rio Tinto. 
*The estimate of ore reserves has been produced in accordance with the
Australasian Code for Reporting of Identified Mineral Resources and Ore
Reserves (the JORC code).