Rio Tinto has announced the formation of an alliance with Komatsu, one of the world's leading mining and construction equipment manufacturers, for the development of a haulage system to support Rio Tinto's Pilbara iron ore operations in Western Australia.
The system will be put into operation before the end of 2008 and will be more widely deployed in new and current Rio Tinto iron ore operations by 2010.
Commenting on the alliance, Rio Tinto CEO Tom Albanese said, "Komatsu has been the Rio Tinto Group's preferred supplier of haulage equipment for over ten years. This alliance marks an important extension to our successful business relationship."