Rio Tinto Agrees to Discuss Cancer Claims of Former Employees

["Sandy Perle" <sandyfl@earthlink.net>]

Rio Tinto Agrees to Discuss Cancer Claims of Former Employees

London, June 6 (Bloomberg) -- Rio Tinto Plc, the world's second-
largest mining company, agreed to discuss claims that a tin smelter 
the company owned in northern England caused cancer and other 
illnesses to workers and damaged the environment. 

After three years of dispute, the company said it will create an 
independent process to assess the claims of the former employees at 
the Capper Pass factory. Rio made the offer to avoid costly court 
action and denies responsibility for any of the diseases, a spokesman 
said. 

``The purpose of the proposal is to have a fair and reasonable 
approach to settling the claims expeditiously,'' said Rio spokesman 
John Hughes. 

Hughes declined to specify how much money Rio has set aside for the 
claims. Rio rejects any legal liability for the operations of the 
plant though will not contest whether it was negligent or not, said 
Linklaters & Alliance, the company's lawyers. 

Lawyers for the alleged victims welcomed Rio's offer, even though it 
has taken many years to win and some of its clients are already dead.

``The former workers, families and residents can now obtain justice, 
without having to face expensive court cases,'' David Russell, senior 
partner of Towells, Solicitors, said in a statement. 

For the claims to succeed, the victims must prove the factory caused 
their illness. They will not have to pay any of Rio's legal fees. 

The victims allege the plant is responsible for cancer and other 
ailments, including childhood leukemia and adult brain tumors. They 
also allege the plant discharged toxic and radioactive materials. 

Rio Tinto took over Capper Pass in 1969. The plant was established in 
1937 and was closed in 1991, partly in response to a collapse in tin 
prices in the late 1980s. 

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Sandy Perle					Tel:(714) 545-0100 / (800) 548-5100   				    	
Director, Technical				Extension 2306 				     	
ICN Worldwide Dosimetry Division		Fax:(714) 668-3149 	                   		    
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