Rio suspends work at Channar iron ore mine after death

[SYDNEY] Rio Tinto has suspended operations at its Channar iron ore mine in Australia after a worker was killed overnight, the company said on Monday. "Operations have been suspended," a Rio Tinto spokesman said, adding that the company was working with investigators on the cause of the incident. He did not say when operations would resume.

A spokeswoman for the Western Australia Department of Mines and Petroleum said the fatality involved a 32-year-old man who was working on a drill rig at the time.

The Channar mine is 60 per cent owned by Rio Tinto and 40 per cent by China's Sinosteel.

The two companies in April extended an agreement that will see 30 million tonnes of iron ore supplied into the joint venture over the next five years.

REUTERS