Rio Tinto suspends Richards Bay operations amid security concerns

Rio Tinto declared force majeure on customer contracts at Richards Bay Minerals (RBM) in South Africa on Wednesday, due to an escalation in the security situation at the operations.

The FTSE 100 mining giant said that had led to its decision to cease operations until the safety and security position improves.

All mining and smelting operations at Richards Bay have been halted until further notice, the company confirmed.

The Zulti South project, meanwhile, remained on full suspension since security and community issues emerged in 2019.

“The safety of our people is our top priority,” said Rio Tinto’s chief executive of minerals, Sinead Kaufman.

“We continue to offer our full support to the investigating authorities and I would like to acknowledge the ongoing support of the regional and national governments and [the] South African Police Service as we work together to ensure that we can safely resume operations.”

At 0820 BST, shares in Rio Tinto were up 0.13% at 6,036p.