Rio Tinto offloads assets while the (coal) price is right

Miner jumps at chance to shift focus to iron ore, other resources

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A Rio Tinto coal mine in the Australian state of New South Wales (Courtesy of Rio Tinto)

KAORI TAKAHASHI, Nikkei staff writer

SYDNEY -- Higher thermal coal prices have given Rio Tinto a prime opportunity to unload assets, as it shifts away from the black stuff.

In late January, the Anglo-Australian miner announced an agreement to sell subsidiary Coal & Allied Industries to the Australian unit of China's Yanzhou Coal Mining. Coal & Allied produces thermal coal for power generation; Rio Tinto said the deal is valued at up to $2.45 billion.

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