mpjv, page-15

Hi,

there is no doubt that UMC/Norsk are upping the ante here. The questions are far more deep-reaching than previous parliamentary questions.

Also Norsk recently appointed an Australian head of Alumina who has moved from Norway to Perth. I bet he is involved in some of this.

This is what John Bowler had to say defending Rio, and I would not be surprised if the UMC line of parliamentary questioning is intended delve further:

WA minister defends Cazaly decision

Rio Tinto's long term investment in Western Australia was taken into consideration when Cazaly Resources was stripped of the lucrative Shovelanna iron ore tenement.

State resources minister John Bowler made the admission when explaining his decision to hand the Pilbara lease back to the mining giant.

Cazaly had snapped up the lease in September last year when Rio Tinto accidentally let it lapse.

Cazaly claims the deposit has not been touched by Rio Tinto in 16 years.

But the minister said Rio Tinto has made big investments in WA which needed to be considered.

"Rio have spent over a half a million dollars on that tenement, Cazaly had spent nothing," Mr Bowler said.

"Rio have a policy ... to mine over a hundred million tonnes out of Western Australia this year, (and) to mine a hundred million tonnes, you need long term reserves.

"They'll be mining Shovelanna and other mining leases in Western Australia for decades to come."

"People don't expect to lose their house because they're one day late with a house payment ... and really this is much the same."

Rio Tinto Iron Ore chief executive Sam Walsh says the company always intended to develop the deposit and had paid the rent well in advance




Joel