Smelter sale

Rio Tinto has received a binding offer from Liberty House to acquire Rio Tinto’s Aluminium Dunkerque smelter in northern France for $500 million, subject to final adjustments. In accordance with French law, Rio Tinto will launch a consultation process with employees, relevant European works councils and other stakeholders in relation to the bid. Subject to satisfactory completion of these consultations, Rio Tinto expects to complete the sale of Aluminium Dunkerque in the second quarter of 2018. The proposal received from Liberty House, which acquired Rio Tinto’s Lochaber Smelter and assets in Scotland in December 2016, includes plans for the modernisation…