Rio Tinto suspends energy and minerals chief over Simandou payments

Mining major Rio Tinto has immediately suspended its energy and minerals chief Alan Davies, and has contacted authorities in the US and UK, after uncovering a $10.5-million payment to a consultant in Guinea. The miner said on Wednesday that it had become aware of email correspondence from 2011 relating to the contractual payment to a consultant providing advisory services on the Simandou iron-ore project.