Re Agreement

Rio Tinto PLC
10 November 2000

                                                                              
         Comalco and Metal Exchange Corporation Announce Partnership          
 

Comalco Aluminium Limited of Australia and Metal Exchange Corporation are
pleased to announce an agreement for the marketing of Comalco's products in
North America. The agreement is a long-term relationship beginning in January
2001, for the marketing of Comalco's primary aluminium foundry alloys (T-bar
and standard ingot), billet, and high purity aluminium.
 
Comalco has made a long-term commitment to developing a North American
customer base and looks forward to introducing consumers to its high quality
product and service. As its sole representative in North America, Metal
Exchange will establish a marketing and sales structure, along with a
logistics and service infrastructure designed to meet the needs of Comalco's
customers.
 
In describing the venture, Mr Steve Hodgson, Comalco's General Manager, Sales
and Marketing, commented, 'We recognise through our US sales activities in
recent years, the value customers place on product quality and customer
service. After exploring a number of alternative models, we believe the
arrangement with Metal Exchange Corporation best satisfies our customers'
needs for the full range of products on offer'.
 
Mr Hodgson added, 'Whilst the arrangement confirms Comalco's long term
commitment to the North American market, customers in traditional Asian,
Australasian and European markets can expect a continuation of the high
levels of service to which they have become accustomed'.
 
Metal Exchange Corporation is a manufacturing and trading corporation
headquartered in St Louis, Missouri, and specialises in the sale of primary
and secondary aluminium products along with other non-ferrous metals.
 
Comalco, a supplier of bauxite, alumina, and primary aluminium to world
markets, has been in business since 1957 and is the world's seventh largest
aluminium company. Its headquarters are in Brisbane, Australia and it
operates smelters at Boyne Island (490,000 tonnes) in Queensland, Bell Bay
(155,000 tonnes) in Tasmania and Tiwai Point (330,000 tonnes) in New Zealand.
Comalco is wholly owned by Rio Tinto.
 
 

For further information, please contact:
     
Media Relations                     Investor Relations 
 
Lisa Cullimore                      Peter Jarvis
+ 44 (0) 20 7753 2305               + 44 (0) 20 7753 2401
 
Website: www.riotinto.com