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Rio Tinto completes sale of Cortez Gold Royalty for $525 million in cash

LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Rio Tinto has completed the sale of a royalty it holds on an area including the Cortez mine operational area and the Fourmile development project in Nevada (the “Cortez Complex”) to RG Royalties LLC, a direct wholly-owned subsidiary of Royal Gold Inc., for $525 million in cash.

The Cortez Royalty is a 1.2%1 gross production royalty on (i) the Cortez gold mine that is operated by Nevada Gold Mines, a joint venture between Barrick Gold Corporation (“Barrick”) and Newmont Corporation; and (ii) the Fourmile project which is 100% owned and operated by Barrick. Rio Tinto obtained the royalty as partial consideration for the sale of its 40% interest in the Cortez Complex to Barrick in 2008. Royalty payments commence once the Cortez Complex has produced a total of 15 million ounces of gold since 2008. This is expected to occur imminently.

Rio Tinto Chief Financial Officer Peter Cunningham said: “This transaction unlocks hidden value from our portfolio and releases cash immediately.”

This announcement is authorised for release to the market by Steve Allen, Rio Tinto’s Group Company Secretary.

riotinto.com

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1 Royalty calculated as 1.2% at current gold prices. The royalty rate is determined based on a scale from 0% at gold prices less than US$400/oz up to 3% at gold prices greater than $900/oz, calculated on 40% of the production from the undivided Cortez Complex land package.

Contacts

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Media Relations, UK

Illtud Harri
M +44 7920 503 600

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M+ 44 7796 630 637

David Outhwaite
M +44 7787 597 493

Media Relations, Americas

Simon Letendre
M +514 796 4973

Malika Cherry
M +1 418 592 7293

Investor Relations, UK

Menno Sanderse
M: +44 7825 195 178

David Ovington
M +44 7920 010 978

Clare Peever
M +44 7788 967 877

Rio Tinto plc
6 St James’s Square
London SW1Y 4AD
United Kingdom

T +44 20 7781 2000
Registered in England
No. 719885

Media Relations, Australia

Jonathan Rose
M +61 447 028 913

Matt Chambers
M +61 433 525 739

Jesse Riseborough
M +61 436 653 412

Investor Relations, Australia

Amar Jambaa
M +61 472 865 948

Rio Tinto Limited
Level 7, 360 Collins Street
Melbourne 3000
Australia

T +61 3 9283 3333
Registered in Australia
ABN 96 004 458 404

Category: General

Industry:

Rio Tinto

LSE:RIO
Release Versions
English

Contacts

Please direct all enquiries to media.enquiries@riotinto.com

Media Relations, UK

Illtud Harri
M +44 7920 503 600

Matthew Klar
M+ 44 7796 630 637

David Outhwaite
M +44 7787 597 493

Media Relations, Americas

Simon Letendre
M +514 796 4973

Malika Cherry
M +1 418 592 7293

Investor Relations, UK

Menno Sanderse
M: +44 7825 195 178

David Ovington
M +44 7920 010 978

Clare Peever
M +44 7788 967 877

Rio Tinto plc
6 St James’s Square
London SW1Y 4AD
United Kingdom

T +44 20 7781 2000
Registered in England
No. 719885

Media Relations, Australia

Jonathan Rose
M +61 447 028 913

Matt Chambers
M +61 433 525 739

Jesse Riseborough
M +61 436 653 412

Investor Relations, Australia

Amar Jambaa
M +61 472 865 948

Rio Tinto Limited
Level 7, 360 Collins Street
Melbourne 3000
Australia

T +61 3 9283 3333
Registered in Australia
ABN 96 004 458 404

Category: General

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