Rio Tinto: Shanghai employees - Update 2

Rio Tinto: Shanghai employees – Update 2

Rio Tinto: Shanghai employees – Update 2

Sam Walsh chief executive iron ore acknowledged the second visit to detained Rio Tinto employee, Stern Hu, by Australian Consular officials.

Mr Walsh said, “We are pleased to hear that Stern appeared well and that he raised no welfare or medical concerns.

Mr Walsh said the company remained surprised and concerned over the detention of its four employees, and said the company had still not been informed of any charges against them.

He said, “We are still not aware of any evidence that would support their detention. Rio Tinto is committed to high standards in business integrity and takes its ethical responsibilities very seriously.

“We continue to be concerned for the health and welfare of our three other employees detained at the same time as Stern Hu,” he said.

Mr Walsh thanked the Australian Government for the attention it is giving to this case and to Stern Hu’s welfare.

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, 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.

Contacts:

Media Relations London
Christina Mills
Office: +44 (0) 20 7781 1154
Mobile: +44 (0) 7825 275 605

Nick Cobban
Office: +44 (0) 20 7781 1138
Mobile: +44 (0) 7920 041 003

Media Relations, US
Tony Shaffer
Office: +61 3 9283 3612
Mobile: +1 202 256 3667

Media Relations, Canada
Stefano Bertolli
Office +1 (0) 514 848 8151
Mobile +1 (0) 514 945 1800

Media Relations, Australia
Amanda Buckley
Office: +61 (0) 3 9283 3627
Mobile: +61 (0) 419 801 349

Tony Shaffer
Office: +61 3 9283 3612
Mobile: +1 202 256 3667

Investor Relations, London
Nigel Jones
Office: +44 (0) 20 7781 2049
Mobile: +44 (0) 7917 227 365

David Ovington
Office: +44 (0) 20 7781 2051
Mobile: +44 (0) 7920 010 978

Investor Relations, North America
Jason Combes
Office: +1 (0) 801 204 2919
Mobile: +1 (0) 801 558 2645

Investor Relations, Australia
Dave Skinner
Office: +61 (0) 3 9283 3628
Mobile: +61 (0) 408 335 309

Simon Ellinor
Office +61 (0) 7 3361 4365
Mobile +61 (0) 439 102 811

Further information:

Email: questions@riotinto.com

Website: www.riotinto.com

High resolution photographs available at: http://www.riotinto.com/media/photolibrary.asp