Financial statements

Note 29 - SHARE CAPITAL - RIO TINTO LIMITED

	2008 Number(m)	2007 Number(m)	2008 US$m	2007 US$m
Issued and fully paid up share capital
At 1 January	285.75	285.75	1,219	1,099
Adjustment on currency translation	-	-	(258)	120
At 31 December	285.75	285.75	961	1,219
- Share capital held by Rio Tinto plc	171.07	171.07
- Special Voting Share of 10p (c)	1 only	1 only
- DLC Dividend Share of 10p (c)	1 only	1 only
Total share capital (c)	456.82	456.82

The share buyback programme was suspended on 12 July 2007 at the time the Alcan acquisition was announced. This authority was renewed at the 2008 annual general meeting. No shares were bought back during the year to 31 December 2008 (2007: nil).
No new shares were issued during 2008 (2007: nil).
The 'Special Voting Share' was issued to facilitate the joint voting by shareholders of Rio Tinto Limited and Rio Tinto plc on Joint Decisions following the DLC merger. Directors have the ability to issue an Equalisation Share if that is required under the terms of the DLC Merger Sharing Agreement. The 'DLC Dividend Share' was issued to facilitate the efficient management of funds within the DLC structure.
Share options exercised during the year to 31 December 2008 under various Rio Tinto Limited employee share option schemes were satisfied by the on-market purchase of Rio Tinto Limited shares by a third party on the Group's behalf.
Information relating to share options and other share based incentive schemes is given in note 48 on share based payments.

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