MONTREAL, Oct. 18 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ - All regulatory approvals
 required for the global closing of the proposed acquisition of Alcan by a
 subsidiary of Rio Tinto have now been received. The Offer is scheduled to
 expire at 6:00 p.m. Canadian Eastern Time on October 23, 2007, and Alcan
 Inc. shareholders are encouraged to tender their shares to the Offer as
 soon as possible.
     Shareholders requiring assistance to tender their shares or who have
 questions regarding the Offer should contact their broker or Georgeson, the
 Information Agent for the Offer, at the following numbers:
     North American toll free:   1 (888) 605-7629
     European Union free call:   00 800 6540 6540
     Australia free call:        1 (800) 216 071
 
     About Rio Tinto
     Rio Tinto is a leading international mining group headquartered in the
 UK, combining Rio Tinto plc, a London 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.
     About Alcan
     Alcan Inc. (NYSE, TSX: AL) is a leading global materials company,
 delivering high quality products and services worldwide. With world-class
 technology and operations in bauxite mining, alumina processing, primary
 metal smelting, power generation, aluminum fabrication, engineered
 solutions as well as flexible and specialty packaging, today's Alcan is
 well positioned to meet and exceed its customers' needs. Alcan is
 represented by 68,000 employees, including its joint ventures, in 61
 countries and regions, and posted revenues of US$23.6 billion in 2006. The
 Company has featured on the Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes consecutively
 since 2002. For more information, please visit: www.alcan.com.
     Additional information
     The offer to purchase all of the issued and outstanding common shares
 of Alcan for US$101 per common share in a recommended, all cash transaction
 (the "Offer") is being made by Rio Tinto Canada Holding Inc. (the
 "Offeror"), an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Rio Tinto. The Offer
 represents a total consideration for Alcan common shares of approximately
 US$38.1 billion.
     The Offer is open for acceptance until 6.00 p.m., Canadian Eastern
 Time, on October 23, 2007, unless extended. The Offer is subject to a
 number of conditions, including valid acceptances by holders of not less
 than 66 2/3 per cent of Alcan shares on a fully diluted basis.
     This announcement is for information purposes only and does not
 constitute or form part of any offer or invitation to purchase, otherwise
 acquire, subscribe for, sell, otherwise dispose of or issue, or any
 solicitation of any offer to sell, otherwise dispose of, issue, purchase,
 otherwise acquire or subscribe for, any security. The Offer (as the same
 may be varied or extended in accordance with applicable law) is being made
 exclusively by means of, and subject to the terms and conditions set out
 in, the offer and takeover bid circular delivered to Alcan and filed with
 Canadian provincial securities regulators and the United States Securities
 and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") and mailed to Alcan shareholders.
     The release, publication or distribution of this announcement in
 certain jurisdictions may be restricted by law and therefore persons in
 such jurisdictions into which this announcement is released, published or
 distributed should inform themselves about and observe such restrictions.
     In connection with the Offer, an offer and takeover bid circular as
 well as ancillary documents such as a letter of transmittal and a notice of
 guaranteed delivery have been filed with the Canadian securities regulatory
 authorities and the SEC and an Alcan directors' circular with respect to
 the Offer has also been filed. A Tender Offer statement on Schedule TO (the
 "Schedule TO") and a Solicitation/Recommendation Statement on Schedule
 14D-9 (the "Schedule 14D-9") has also been filed with the SEC.
     SHAREHOLDERS OF ALCAN ARE URGED TO READ THE OFFER AND TAKEOVER BID
 CIRCULAR (INCLUDING THE LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL AND NOTICE OF GUARANTEED
 DELIVERY), THE SCHEDULE TO (INCLUDING THE OFFER AND TAKEOVER BID CIRCULAR,
 LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL AND RELATED TENDER OFFER DOCUMENTS) AND THE SCHEDULE
 14D-9 AS THEY CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE OFFER.
     The offer and takeover bid circular as well as other materials filed
 with the Canadian securities regulatory authorities are available
 electronically without charge at www.sedar.com. The Schedule TO and the
 Schedule 14D-9 are available electronically without charge at the SEC's
 website, www.sec.gov. Materials filed with the SEC or the Canadian
 securities regulatory authorities may also be obtained without charge at
 Rio Tinto's website, www.riotinto.com.
     While the Offer is being made to all holders of Alcan common shares,
 this announcement does not constitute an offer or a solicitation in any
 jurisdiction in which such offer or solicitation is unlawful. The Offer is
 not being made in, nor will deposits be accepted in, any jurisdiction in
 which the making or acceptance thereof would not be in compliance with the
 laws of such jurisdiction. However, the Offeror may, in its sole
 discretion, take such action as it may deem necessary to extend the Offer
 in any such jurisdiction.
     The Offer is made to holders in France of Alcan common shares admitted
 to trading on Euronext-Paris. An announcement including the main
 information relating to the Offer documents has been prepared and released
 pursuant to article 231-24 of the AMF General Regulation and contains
 information relating to how and in which time limit Alcan shareholders
 residing in France can accept this Offer. The offer document and the
 announcement prepared pursuant to article 231-24 of the AMF General
 Regulation, as amended on 17 September 2007, are available free of charge
 to the holders of Alcan Shares registered with Euroclear France who request
 it from Citi France, Global Transaction Services, Operations department, 19
 le Parvis la Defense 7, 92073 Paris la Defense. They are also available on
 the internet at the following address:
 www.computershare.com/Rio-AlcanFrenchofferdocument.
     The Offer is made to holders in Belgium of Alcan common shares and/or
 certificates admitted to trading on Euronext Brussels (the "IDRs"). A
 Belgian supplement, addressing issues specific to holders of Alcan common
 shares and/or IDRs in Belgium (the "Belgian Supplement") was approved by
 the Belgian Banking, Finance and Insurance Commission (the "BFIC") on 2
 August 2007. A notice of extension of the Offer was approved by the BFIC on
 18 September 2007. The offer document, the Belgian Supplement and the
 notice of extension are available free of charge to the investors in
 Belgium who request it from the Belgian branch of Citibank International
 plc, Department GTS Operations, 4th floor, boulevard General Jacques 263G,
 1050 Brussels. They are also available on the internet at the following
 address: www.computershare.com/Rio-AlcanBelgianofferdocument
     %B NM %C 1,17,18,20,23 %D Alcan Shareholders Encouraged
 
 

SOURCE ALCAN - EN