Rio Tinto’s new CEO, Sam Walsh, is swiftly going ahead with his plans for getting rid of non-core operations to curb costs and bolster the company’s balance sheet by putting the “for sale” sign out on portions of its Australian coal operations. The transaction, considered the second biggest coal deal by the firm in Australia, could see up to 29% of Rio’s Coal & Allied unit going to a new player and it is expected to fetch around $3 billion, several reports said Wednesday.
See http://www.mining.com/rio-tintos-walsh-hits-the-gas-pedal-puts-aussie-coal-assets-up-for-sale-81216/.