MEDICAL FLEXIBLES AMERICAS FACILITIES RECEIVE CERTIFICATION

Alcan Packaging, a division of Rio Tinto Alcan announces that its Medical Flexibles Americas Commerce, California and Marshall, North Carolina facilities have received the ISO 13485:2003 certification, a quality management standard for medical devices. Three of the four Alcan Medical Flexibles Americas plants have now received this certification.

"This certification demonstrates Alcan Global Pharmaceutical Packaging dedication to providing its customers with best-in-class operations,'' mentioned Michael Rubenstein, President, Alcan Global Pharmaceutical Packaging. "This is an important achievement made possible through the engagement and support of all employees of these plants,'' he added.

The ISO 13485 certification outlines standards of systematic, management, resources, realization and remedial requirements for medical device manufacturing. This certification promotes an in-depth quality management system, focuses on risk management, specific requirements for product traceability and evaluates the effectiveness of corrective and preventive actions.

"The certification of our Commerce and Marshall facilities testifies to our continued commitment to the ISO 13485 standard, and the alignment to our customer's Quality Management Systems," commented Jon Anderson, Director of Quality. "Three of the four Medical Flexible facilities completed certification in 2007, and we are working to achieve certification in the Milwaukee facility in 2008."

This certification reinforces Alcan Medical Flexibles Americas continued commitment to quality, environment, health and safety. Alcan's Medical Flexibles Commerce facility is currently an FDA Registered Device II manufacturing facility, GMP 21 CFR part 820 Compliant and ISO 14001:2004 and 18001 certified. Alcan's Medical Flexible Marshall facility is also ISO 14001:2004 and 18001 certified.

Alcan Packaging is a world leader in value-added specialty packaging, ranking No. 1 in flexible food, pharmaceutical, beauty and tobacco packaging, and delivering innovative solutions using plastics, engineered film, aluminum, paper, paperboard and glass to customers around the world. Alcan Packaging is headquartered in Paris, France and operates128 facilities with 31,000 employees in 31 countries. It generates US$6 billion in revenues annually. Alcan Packaging's President and CEO is Ilene S. Gordon.

Rio Tinto is a leading international mining group headquartered in the UK, combining Rio Tinto plc, a London and NYSE listed company, and Rio Tinto Limited, which is listed on the Australian Securities Exchange. Rio Tinto's business is finding, mining, and processing mineral resources. Major products are aluminium, copper, diamonds, energy (coal and uranium), gold, industrial minerals (borax, titanium dioxide, salt, talc) and iron ore. Activities span the world but are strongly represented in Australia and North America with significant businesses in South America, Asia, Europe and southern Africa.

Forward-Looking Statements

This announcement includes "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. All statements other than statements of historical facts included in this announcement, including, without limitation, those regarding Rio Tinto's financial position, business strategy, plans and objectives of management for future operations (including development plans and objectives relating to Rio Tinto's products, production forecasts and reserve and resource positions), are forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of Rio Tinto, or industry results, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements.

Such forward-looking statements are based on numerous assumptions regarding Rio Tinto's present and future business strategies and the environment in which Rio Tinto will operate in the future. Among the important factors that could cause Rio Tinto's actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements include, among others, levels of actual production during any period, levels of demand and market prices, the ability to produce and transport products profitably, the impact of foreign currency exchange rates on market prices and operating costs, operational problems, political uncertainty and economic conditions in relevant areas of the world, the actions of competitors, activities by governmental authorities such as changes in taxation or regulation and such other risk factors identified in Rio Tinto's most recent Annual Report on Form 20-F filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") or Form 6-Ks furnished to the SEC. Forward-looking statements should, therefore, be construed in light of such risk factors and undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this announcement. Rio Tinto expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking (except as required by applicable law, the City Code on Takeovers and Mergers (the "Takeover Code"), the UK Listing Rules, the Disclosure and Transparency Rules of the Financial Services Authority and the Listing Rules of the Australian Securities Exchange) to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statement contained herein to reflect any change in Rio Tinto's expectations with regard thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based. Nothing in this announcement should be interpreted to mean that future earnings per share of Rio Tinto plc or Rio Tinto Limited will necessarily match or exceed its historical published earnings per share.

Subject to the requirements of the Takeover Code, none of Rio Tinto, any of its officers or any person named in this announcement with their consent or any person involved in the preparation of this announcement makes any representation or warranty (either express or implied) or gives any assurance that the implied values, anticipated results, performance or achievements expressed or implied in forward-looking statements contained in this announcement will be achieved.

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