Rio Tinto ’still unaware’ of any evidence to justify China’s detention of 4 workers

September 22nd, 2009 Rio Tinto sells building materials unit for $349MMELBOURNE, Australia — Anglo-Australian mining giant Rio Tinto has advanced its debt reduction plans by selling building materials manufacturer Alcan Composites to Swiss machinery producer Schweiter Technologies for $349 million, the two companies said Tuesday. The sale of Alcan Composites, which is based in Sins, Switzerland, will be completed by the end of the year, the companies said in statements.

August 12th, 2009 Rio employees face trade secrets, bribery chargesSHANGHAI, China — China has formally arrested four employees of the Anglo-Australian mining giant Rio Tinto Ltd. on charges of infringing trade secrets and bribery, in a case that has strained relations with Australia.

August 12th, 2009 BEIJING - Chinese prosecutors have charged Australian executive Stern Hu with commercial bribery, which means he could be facing up to seven years jail if found guilty by Beijing. China's official news agency Xinhua said Hu and three Rio Tinto Chinese colleagues were charged late on Tuesday, six days after being detained in Shanghai.

August 10th, 2009 Rio Tinto prices plunge on China spy claimsSYDNEY —Rio Tinto Ltd.'s share price plunged more than 3 percent Monday after China accused the Anglo-Australian miner of conducting a six-year spying campaign that it claimed cost Chinese steelmakers billions of dollars in inflated prices for iron ore. Rio Tinto declined to respond to the latest allegations but said in July that bribery allegations against four Rio Tinto employees detained in China were baseless.

July 23rd, 2009 Australia, China FMs discuss Rio Tinto spying casePHUKET, Thailand — Australia's Foreign Minister Stephen Smith met with his Chinese counterpart Thursday over the case of a Rio Tinto Ltd. manager accused of espionage in China but made no progress resolving the issue.

July 22nd, 2009 Australia FM: Rio case won't be resolved quicklyPHUKET, Thailand — Australia pressed China again Wednesday for a quick resolution to the case of a Rio Tinto manager accused of espionage while acknowledging it will not be settled with one meeting of the two sides. Speaking on the sidelines of a regional conference, the Australian foreign minister Stephen Smith said he still hoped to meet his Chinese counterpart Yang Jiechi about the matter in the next day.

July 22nd, 2009 BEIJING - China has told Australia that it has sufficient evidence to prove Rio Tinto staff's involvement in espionage and bribery case. "I've introduced the information about the case to him (Australian Foreign Minister Stephen Smith) and stressed we have sufficient evidence to show that people involved in the case have obtained our state secrets through illegal means," The Australian quoted He Yafei, as saying.

July 21st, 2009 Australian FM hopes to discuss Rio case with ChinaCANBERRA, Australia — Australia's foreign minister said Tuesday he hopes to discuss the detention of an Australian mining executive accused by China of stealing state secrets with his Chinese counterpart this week. Stephen Smith flew to Thailand on Tuesday for an Association of Southeast Asian Nations meeting that China will be participating in.

July 15th, 2009 BEIJING - The staff of Australian miner Rio Tinto bribed executives from all 16 Chinese steel mills participating in this year's iron ore price talks, an industry insider has disclosed. "Rio Tinto got to know the key executives of the 16 steel mills, who have sensitive industry information, when the China Iron and Steel Association (CISA) brought them to the bargaining table," China Daily quoted a senior manager at a large steel company, as saying.

July 12th, 2009 Australia: Rio detention could hurt China businessBEIJING — Australian officials said Sunday that China has not given them any evidence to support its detention of an Australian mining executive on spying charges and warned that the affair could discourage foreign companies from doing business there. Foreign Minister Stephen Smith told reporters in western Australia that officials will seek information Monday on the detention of Rio Tinto employee Stern Hu.

July 9th, 2009 SHANGHAI - Four employees of the international mining group Rio Tinto Ltd. have been detained on charges of stealing China's state secrets, authorities said Thursday.

July 8th, 2009 Australian detained on espionage charge in ChinaSYDNEY — An Australian who heads Rio Tinto's iron ore operations in China has been arrested in Shanghai and accused of espionage, Australia's foreign minister said Wednesday. The detention of the executive and three Chinese nationals working for Rio comes at a tense period between the Anglo-Australian miner and China due to tough negotiations on iron ore prices and the failed plan for China's state-owned Chinalco to buy a big stake in Rio Tinto.

July 8th, 2009 4 Rio Tinto workers detained in ChinaBEIJING — Four employees of Anglo-Australian miner Rio Tinto Ltd., including an Australian man, have been detained in Shanghai for undisclosed reasons, the company and government officials said Wednesday. Rio Tinto has been unable to contact the employees, said Ian Head, a company spokesman in Sydney.

July 2nd, 2009 Chinalco maintains 9.3 percent stake in Rio TintoMELBOURNE, Australia — State-controlled Aluminum Corp. of China said Thursday it took up its full entitlement in Rio Tinto's $15.2 billion share issue to maintain a 9.3 percent stake in the Anglo-Australian miner.

June 17th, 2009 Baddi(HimachalPradesh),June17(IANS)ElectricalandpowerequipmentmajorHavellsIndiaisexpandingitsswitchgearbusinesstotakeitsexportearningsfromRs.150croretoRs.500croreinthenextthreeyears,aseniorcompanyofficialsaidhereWednesday. "Weareconsolidatingourprocessesintheswitchgearsegmentbyalmostdoublingourinstalledcapacity,"companypresidentSunilSikkatoldreportersatthecompany'sflagshipmanufacturingfacilityhere.