Rio Tinto Alcan invites the public to visit the new Rio Tinto Alcan Planetarium of Montreal

MONTREAL, April 4, 2013 /CNW Telbec/ - Rio Tinto Alcan, along with representatives from the City of Montreal, the governments of Quebec and Canada, and other members of the Montreal community will gather at Montreal's Olympic Park to inaugurate the eagerly awaited Rio Tinto Alcan Planetarium, which will be open to the public on April 6.

"The inauguration of the Rio Tinto Alcan Planetarium is the culmination of a wonderful project which began with the creation of our partnership nearly ten years ago," said Rio Tinto Alcan chief executive Jacynthe Côté. "For Rio Tinto Alcan, the design and mission of the new Planetarium corresponds with our commitment to sustainable development and our efforts to encourage young people to stay in school," she continued.

"This is a unique centre for ongoing education that allows young visitors to gain a better understanding of nature and cultivate their interest in the sciences. It's an excellent way to stimulate young people's appetite for learning. The Rio Tinto Alcan Planetarium is definitely a great asset for Montreal and will contribute to the education of our young people," concluded Côté.

With its innovative approach to astronomy, the Rio Tinto Alcan Planetarium is redefining the very concept of a planetarium and is positioning itself as pioneer on the world stage. The building, with its bold design, incorporates the most advanced principles of sustainable development. It was built according to LEED standards and is seeking Platinum certification. It is designed as an ecologically responsible building which showcases the virtues of aluminium, a modern metal that is versatile, durable and infinitely recyclable. Equipped with cutting-edge technology, the Rio Tinto Alcan Planetarium offers visitors a novel experience of the Universe by pairing complementary shows, one more poetic in tone and the other more scientific.

"We are very pleased to open the doors of the Rio Tinto Alcan Planetarium to the public. It is a victory for the sound partnership that we forged nearly ten years ago, and we are most proud of this remarkable accomplishment," said Charles-Mathieu Brunelle, Executive Director of Space for Life.

Rio Tinto Alcan has contributed significantly to Montreal's social fabric since the company established its head office downtown more than 80 years ago. Through the Rio Tinto Alcan Fund, it contributes to hundreds of Canadian organizations including the Festival International de Jazz de Montréal, the hospital foundations of the Université de Montréal and the McGill University health centres, the OSM Foundation, the McCord Museum, the Grand défi Pierre Lavoie, the Jeux du Québec, Passeport pour ma réussite, Allô prof, the Institut de cardiologie de Montréal, McGill University, the École Polytechnique and Centraide.

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) 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.

SOURCE: RIO TINTO ALCAN

For more information, please contact:

Media Relations
Rio Tinto Alcan
Bryan Tucker
Tel. : [phone]
[email protected]

Media Relations
Rio Tinto Alcan
Claudine Gagnon
Tel. : [phone]
[email protected]

Website: www.riotintoalcan.com