Flood-hit Rio Tinto 'back to normal' at aluminium arm

21st Jan 2011 07:05

Weather conditions in Australia have improved enough to allow Rio Tinto to end the force majeure event that's disrupted supplies of aluminium from Boyne Smelters near Gladstone.The company's aluminium arm, Rio Tinto Alcan, says transport operations have now returned to normal."Flood waters are receding, road and rail access is available and the Port of Brisbane is open, allowing the transport of products to domestic and international customers," it said in short statement Friday.Earlier this month, the floods cut road and rail access between Gladstone and Brisbane and had closed the Brisbane port, preventing deliveries to some domestic and international customers. Rio declared force majeure last month on contracts from its coal mines at Hail Creek, Kestrel, Blair Athol and Clermont in Queensland's Bowen Basin.