Alcan Specialty Sheet Introduces a Comprehensive Product Portfolio of Automotive Body in White Sheet Specifications to Meet European Automotive Industry's Growing Demand

PARIS, March 11, 2010 - Alcan Specialty Sheet, part of Alcan Engineered Products - a business
unit of Rio Tinto - introduces a comprehensive product portfolio of
Automotive Body in White sheet specifications to meet the growing and
increasingly complex demands of the European automotive industry.

With the successful investment in a conversion line at the Neuf-Brisach
plant (France), Alcan Specialty Sheet further strengthened its position as a
major player in the aluminium automotive market in Europe. Alcan Specialty
Sheet, working closely with several OEMs, was able to develop a range of new
products to satisfy existing customer specifications and to meet new
requirements for future generations of aluminium intensive vehicles.

Alcan Specialty Sheet, with the largest dedicated research and
development capabilities and technical support in Europe, focuses on
delivering customised and innovative solutions to address highly demanding
industry requirements through co-development programs with its customers.

"As one of the leaders in automotive body sheet supply, we wanted to
develop a complete product portfolio to offer the required tailored
solutions," said Thierry Mootz, Director Sales and Marketing, Automotive and
Customised Solutions, Alcan Specialty Sheet. "By using new and recognisable
brand names, we also highlight the differentiation of our products and create
a strong automotive identity. The brand names recognise customer requirements
like formability, strength, and surface."

"We developed and qualified products to match key customer
specifications, such as Surfalex(TM)6s for demanding skin quality, or
Formalex(TM)5x, a high formability 5xxx mono-alloy tailored for difficult
parts such as door interiors," said Dr. Hervé Ribes, Development manager
Automotive, Alcan Specialty Sheet. "The development of a full product range
within less than two years was possible thanks to our unique R&D capabilities
in Voreppe (France). The research centre provides us with a deep knowledge of
aluminium applications and experience, acquired through collaborative
projects and close work with highly innovative activities, such as aerospace,
as well as environmentally friendly solutions in recycling and surface
treatments."

In addition to the previously mentioned trademarks, the Alcan Specialty
Sheet portfolio also includes Strongalex(TM), Ultralex(TM), Securalex(TM) and
Coralex(TM).

Alcan Specialty Sheet is a key player in the European rolling industry,
occupying leading market positions for packaging, automotive, and customised
industrial sheet solutions including high quality functional surface
products. It has world-class rolling and recycling operations in Neuf Brisach
(France) and Singen (Germany), dedicated R&D capabilities in Voreppe (France)
and Neuhausen (Switzerland), and employs over 2,000 people.

Alcan Engineered Products is a global sector-leader strongly committed to
developing innovative, value-added aluminium products for a broad range of
markets and applications, including aerospace, mass transportation,
automotive, packaging, energy and building. With around 11,000 employees
located in over 30 countries and a commercial presence in more than 60
markets worldwide, Alcan Engineered Products is organised around businesses
dedicated to performance materials in the areas of aluminium rolled products,
extrusions and automotive structures, aluminium cable and international
trade. Alcan Engineered Products is headquartered in Paris, France.

About Rio Tinto

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.

For further information, please contact:

    Alcan Specialty Sheet            Alcan Engineered Products, Paris
    Laurette Zaeh-Petit              Christine Chanet
    Tel.: +33-3-89-72-41-68          Tel.: +33-1-57-00-21-65
    laurette.zaeh-petit@alcan.com    christine.chanet@alcan.com
    website: www.riotinto.com

For further information, please contact: Alcan Specialty Sheet: Laurette Zaeh-Petit, Tel.: +33-3-89-72-41-68, laurette.zaeh-petit at alcan.com; Alcan Engineered Products, Paris: Christine Chanet, Tel.: +33-1-57-00-21-65, christine.chanet at alcan.com