Offer for Full Ownership of Comalco

Rio Tinto PLC
24 February 2000


         Rio Tinto offer for full ownership of Comalco
                               
Rio Tinto Limited announced today that it proposes to make a cash offer of
A$9.50 per share for all the shares in Comalco Limited it does not already
own.  Comalco is already 72.43% owned by Rio Tinto.  The offer represents a
premium of 17.3% on the basis of the market closing price of A$8.10 for
Comalco shares today.  Compared with the average price for Comalco shares over
the preceding month, the offer represents a premium of 21.6%.

'This offer presents a timely opportunity for Comalco shareholders to dispose
of their shares at a significant premium to their recent market value,' said
Rio Tinto Chairman, Sir Robert Wilson.  'This offer addresses investor
concerns arising from the reduced public float and the reduction in ASX index
weighting of Comalco shares,' he said.

Rio Tinto Limited announced that it is considering a scrip alternative, also
including a possible option to elect for Rio Tinto plc scrip.  A Rio Tinto
Limited scrip alternative is likely to be attractive to certain shareholders
given the recent introduction of capital gains tax roll-over relief for
share for share exchanges.

The offer is subject to a number of conditions, including:

*    FIRB (and any other necessary regulatory) approvals
*    The offeror becoming entitled to proceed to compulsory
     acquisition of outstanding Comalco shares
*    The usual condition as to prescribed occurrences

Rio Tinto expects to make its offer after the Corporate Law Economic Reform
Program Act ('CLERP') becomes effective on 13 March 2000.


For further information contact:

Media Relations                    Investor Relations

Alexis Fernandez                   Peter Jarvis
[phone]                   [phone]

Website: www.riotinto.com