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Rio Tinto has announced bumper results for H1 2008, with net earnings up 113% on the same period last year, to a record US$6,914million. Results were boosted by higher sales volumes, particularly iron ore, and the first full 6 months to include Alcan. These gains were offset in part by lower copper product volumes, primarily due to lower grades at Kennecott Utah Copper. "The effect of price movements an all major commodities was to increase earnings by US$2,790 million," said the company, following new record price levels for many of its products in the first half, including copper at 20% higher than a year earlier. The company announced an interim dividend of US68c per share, an increase of 61% on H1 2007, and re-emphasized its commitment to, "increase total 2008 and 2009 dividends by at least 20% in each year".

Besides copper, the Bingham Canyon Mine is about to become a major supplier of molybdenum and rhenium. Rio Tinto, parent company of mine operator Kennecott Utah Copper, announced Wednesday that it will invest $270 million into a molybdenum autoclave process (MAP) facility.

"The giant Chilean Escondida mine produces more copper than anywhere on earth. Some 1.2m tonnes emerge from the BHP Billiton-run facility each year. For the largest miners, Escondida also serves as a key measure for world copper output. To meet global demand over the next decade, the industry "will have to add the equivalent of a new Escondida every 15 months", says Jean-Sebastien Jacques, head of copper at Rio Tinto, which owns a minority stake in the mine. First Quantum, a mid-tier copper miner, says that if China, India and Brazil were to reach EU levels of copper use by 2020, it would imply nine new Escondidas."

Rio Tinto and General Electric today announced that they are working together on two key strategic technology projects, Rio Tinto's 'Mine of the Future™' and GE's 'Ecomagination'", to develop the most energy efficient and ecologically friendly solutions to support the future of mining.

BHP Billiton, the Australian mining company, on Thursday said US antitrust authorities had largely cleared its proposed $170bn acquisition of rival Rio Tinto.

The European Commission yesterday issued its statement of objections to BHP Billiton's proposed $79.5bn (£49.3bn) hostile takeover of mining rival Rio Tinto, with the main competition barriers thought to be in the iron ore market.

BHP Billiton on Tuesday abandoned its year-long pursuit of Anglo-Australian mining rival Rio Tinto, saying the bid was no longer in the best interests of shareholders amid the "continued deterioration of near-term global economic conditions".

Chinalco is set to walk away from a $19.5bn deal with Rio Tinto following weeks of wrangling over the terms of the transaction, in a dramatic U-turn that sent shares in the Anglo-Australian miner sharply lower.

Rio Tinto gained ground -yesterday as brokers gave credence to hopes of a new proposal from BHP Billiton .