Rio Tinto completes acquisition of 100 per cent of Alcan

14 November 2007

Rio Tinto today announces that Rio Tinto Canada Holding Inc. (“RTCH”), an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Rio Tinto, has acquired all of the common shares of Alcan Inc. (“Alcan”) not already owned by it by exercising its right under the compulsory acquisition provisions of the Canada Business Corporations Act (“CBCA”).  RTCH is now the registered holder of 100% of the outstanding shares of Alcan. Accordingly, it is anticipated that the Alcan common shares will be delisted from the Toronto Stock Exchange effective at the close of business on November 15, 2007, and that such shares will also be subsequently delisted as soon as reasonably practicable from Euronext Paris, the New York Stock Exchange, the Official List in the United Kingdom (and cancellation of admission to trading on the London Stock Exchange) and the SWX Swiss Exchange. It is further expected that the certificates admitted to trading on Euronext Brussels representing Alcan common shares (the IDRs) will also be delisted as soon as reasonably practicable from Euronext Brussels.

As required under the CBCA, notices of compulsory acquisition were mailed today to registered holders of Alcan shares who had not deposited their shares under the offer by RTCH to acquire all of the shares of Alcan which expired on November 8, 2007.