Beijing is confident a Chinese bid to invest in Anglo-Australian miner Rio Tinto Group will not be hurt by its rejection of Coca-Cola’s attempt to buy a Chinese juice maker, a Cabinet official said Friday.

Anglo-Australian mining company Rio Tinto PLC named Jan du Plessis as its new board chairman on Tuesday, with the appointment to take effect from the end of the company’s annual meeting on April 20.

Aluminum Corp. of China, one of the world’s biggest aluminum producers, agreed Thursday to invest $19.5 billion in global miner Rio Tinto Group in the country’s biggest overseas investment so far.

Rio Tinto confirmed Wednesday that it is in talks about a possible transaction with Aluminum Corp. of China, in response to media reports that the Chinese company may take a big stake in the London-based mining giant, which is struggling under the weight

Markel Humphrey and Chris Lutz scored 23 points apiece to lead Marshall in a 92-59 rout of Rio Grande on Tuesday night.

Rio Tinto, the world’s third largest mining company, said Wednesday that its chairman will step down and be replaced by Tata Steel Deputy Chairman Jim Leng.

Mining giant Rio Tinto Alcan is unable to finance its minority stake in a joint venture aluminum complex in Saudi Arabia, the company and its Saudi partner announced Wednesday, citing the global financial crisis.

Rio Tinto Group will cut 14,000 jobs worldwide and reduce capital investment as part of new measures to reduce its debt amid waning demand for iron ore and other metals, the mining company said Wednesday.

Mining giant BHP Billiton Ltd. said it was looking for other takeover targets during the current global financial turmoil, after abandoning its $68 billion hostile bid for Rio Tinto citing risky conditions.

Mining giant BHP Billiton has abandoned a takeover bid for rival Rio Tinto, saying its offer is “no longer in shareholders’ interests” because of the global economic downtown.