EXHIBIT 23a

                       CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT ACCOUNTANTS


We  hereby  consent  to the  incorporation  by  reference  in  the  Registration
Statement on Form S-8 related to the Cordant  Retirement  Savings and Investment
Plan, Huck  International  Inc.  Retirement  Savings and Investment Plan, Howmet
Corporation  Salaried  Employees Savings Plan, and the Howmet Corporation Hourly
Employees  Savings Plan, of our reports dated January 10, 2000,  except for Note
V, for which the date is February  11, 2000,  on our audits of the  consolidated
financial  statements  and  financial  statement  schedule  of  Alcoa  Inc.  and
consolidated  subsidiaries as of December 31, 1999 and 1998, and for each of the
three  years  in  the  period  ended  December  31,  1999,   which  reports  are
incorporated  by reference or included in the  Company's  Annual  Report on Form
10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 1999.




/s/PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
October 2, 2000