BHP Billiton also dependent on China for large proportion of sales
Rio Tinto Group, the world’s second-biggest iron-ore producer, has never been so dependent on China as the country prepares to prosecute four of its employees for bribery and obtaining trade secrets. London-based Rio’s sales to China overtook North America and Europe in 2009, reaching 24.3 per cent of the total from 18.8 per cent a year earlier, it said yesterday. The proportion of sales to China, the world’s biggest iron-ore consumer, has doubled since 2004.
China also accounted for 20 percent of the sales of BHP Billiton, the world’s largest mining company, in the year ending June 30, 2008.
See http://www.smh.com.au/business/rio-tintos-dependence-on-china-hits-new-high-20100212-nw9s.html.