Press releases

INDUSTRIAL MINERALS VETERAN NAMED CHIEF COMMERCIAL OFFICER

Rio Tinto Minerals taps Bob Katsiouleris to lead global team

Denver, Colorado, September 17, 2007 – Rio Tinto Minerals – a world leader in industrial minerals’ supply and science – today announced the appointment of Bob Katsiouleris as Chief Commercial Officer, responsible for marketing, sales, research & development for this US$1.2 billion subsidiary of the Rio Tinto Group, a $21 billion Anglo-Australian mining company (NYSE:RTP)

In this role, Mr. Katsiouleris will set strategy to differentiate and grow Rio Tinto Minerals in the global borate and talc markets, as well as the Asia Pacific salt market. He will also oversee the commercialization of new products and technologies designed to meet and anticipate the needs of the building products, coatings, polymers, automotive, consumer goods and agriculture industries which form the organization’s customer base.

Rio Tinto Minerals currently serves 2,500 direct customers in more than 100 countries and is considered an industrial minerals market leader by virtue of its asset base – including 19 mines, 29 processing facilities and two research laboratories – as well as its track record of originating the majority of processing advances and new product development for these white minerals.

“Rio Tinto Minerals’ major product brands – 20 Mule Team Borax and Luzenac talc – have been synonymous with supply reliability, product quality and innovation for more than a century,” said Mr. Katsiouleris. “The challenge today is to continue to get these fundamentals right, while we become faster and more flexible in meeting the needs of our customers, and the consumers they serve.”

Mr. Katsiouleris brings nearly 18 years of industrial minerals experience in research, engineering, operations, and sales and marketing to his new role. He most recently served as Rio Tinto Iron & Titanium’s Senior Vice President, Sales and Marketing, where he was responsible for US$1.3b annual sales of titanium dioxide feedstocks, iron and steel products, and rutile and zircon produced at mining operations in Canada and South Africa. Prior to that, Mr. Katsiouleris held a variety of operational roles with World Minerals Inc., a subsidiary of the Imerys Group. He earned his Bachelors degree in Metallurgical Engineering from McGill University in Quebec, and his Masters of Business Administration from Pepperdine University in California.

“Industrial minerals play a critical role in meeting the world’s demand for products that contribute to a higher standard of living, increase yield from diminishing croplands, and meet the need for more energy-efficient housing, vehicles and manufacturing processes,” said Mr. Katsiouleris. “We have the right products, and the right expertise to realize the vast potential of our asset portfolio, and to create value for our customers,” he said.

About Rio Tinto Minerals
Rio Tinto Minerals is a member of London-based Rio Tinto, world leaders in finding, mining and processing the earth’s mineral resources. The organization encompasses 3,300 people working at 50 facilities on five continents to serve more than 2,500 direct customers worldwide. Rio Tinto Minerals supplies nearly half the global demand for borates, used in fiberglass, glass, ceramics, detergents, fertilizers and wood preservatives; 25 percent of the global demand for talc, used in paint, polymers, paper, ceramics and personal care products; and is the world’s largest salt exporter. The organization is the acknowledged world leader in product quality, supply reliability and technical support – the services that create value for its customers and differentiate Rio Tinto Minerals from its competitors – and is an industry leader in continuously improving how its products and practices contribute to sustainable development.

Press Contact:
Susan Keefe (US/Asia Pacific)
+1 303 713 5055
susan.keefe@riotinto.com

Laura Jones (Europe)
+33 5 61 50 20 37
laura.jones@riotinto.com