Purchase of Own Securities

Rio Tinto PLC
18 November 1999


         Shares purchased off market for cancellation
                               
Rio  Tinto  plc  announces that Rio Tinto  Limited  has  today
purchased,  off  market for cancellation, 15,500,000  ordinary
shares in Rio Tinto Limited from Tinto Holdings Australia  Pty
Limited (a wholly owned indirect subsidiary of Rio Tinto  plc)
at a price of A$26.45 per share.



For further information contact:


Media Relations                    Investor Relations

Alexis Fernandez                   Peter Jarvis

+ 44 207 753 2305                  + 44 207 753 2401