# C_2012107EN.01001101.xml

| 13.4.2012 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | C 107/11 |
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13.4.2012

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 107/11

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Prior notification of a concentration

(Case COMP/M.6527 — Rio Tinto/Richards Bay Minerals)

Candidate case for simplified procedure

(Text with EEA relevance)

2012/C 107/05

| 1. | On 2 April 2012, the Commission received a notification of a proposed concentration pursuant to Article 4 of Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 (1) by which the undertaking Rio Tinto plc (‘Rio Tinto’, United Kingdom) acquires within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) of the Merger Regulation control of the whole of Richards Bay Mining (Proprietary) Limited and Richards Bay Titanium (Proprietary) Limited (collectively referred to as ‘Richards Bay Minerals’, South Africa) by way of purchase of shares. |
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1.

On 2 April 2012, the Commission received a notification of a proposed concentration pursuant to Article 4 of Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 (1) by which the undertaking Rio Tinto plc (‘Rio Tinto’, United Kingdom) acquires within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) of the Merger Regulation control of the whole of Richards Bay Mining (Proprietary) Limited and Richards Bay Titanium (Proprietary) Limited (collectively referred to as ‘Richards Bay Minerals’, South Africa) by way of purchase of shares.

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| 2. | The business activities of the undertakings concerned are:






  — | for Rio Tinto: international mining group with activities in aluminium, copper, diamonds and minerals, iron ore, energy and the separation, beneficiation and smelting of rock ilmenite and mineral sands, |
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2.

The business activities of the undertakings concerned are:

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for Rio Tinto: international mining group with activities in aluminium, copper, diamonds and minerals, iron ore, energy and the separation, beneficiation and smelting of rock ilmenite and mineral sands,

| — | for Richards Bay Minerals: mining, separation, beneficiation and smelting of mineral sands. |
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for Richards Bay Minerals: mining, separation, beneficiation and smelting of mineral sands.

| 3. | On preliminary examination, the Commission finds that the notified transaction could fall within the scope of the EC Merger Regulation. However, the final decision on this point is reserved. Pursuant to the Commission Notice on a simplified procedure for treatment of certain concentrations under the EC Merger Regulation (2) it should be noted that this case is a candidate for treatment under the procedure set out in the Notice. |
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3.

On preliminary examination, the Commission finds that the notified transaction could fall within the scope of the EC Merger Regulation. However, the final decision on this point is reserved. Pursuant to the Commission Notice on a simplified procedure for treatment of certain concentrations under the EC Merger Regulation (2) it should be noted that this case is a candidate for treatment under the procedure set out in the Notice.

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| 4. | The Commission invites interested third parties to submit their possible observations on the proposed operation to the Commission.
  Observations must reach the Commission not later than 10 days following the date of this publication. Observations can be sent to the Commission by fax (+32 22964301), by email to COMP-MERGER-REGISTRY@ec.europa.eu or by post, under reference number COMP/M.6527 — Rio Tinto/Richards Bay Minerals, to the following address:





  European Commission |
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| Directorate-General for Competition |
| Merger Registry |
| J-70 |
| 1049 Bruxelles/Brussel |
| BELGIQUE/BELGIË |

4.

The Commission invites interested third parties to submit their possible observations on the proposed operation to the Commission.

Observations must reach the Commission not later than 10 days following the date of this publication. Observations can be sent to the Commission by fax (+32 22964301), by email to COMP-MERGER-REGISTRY@ec.europa.eu or by post, under reference number COMP/M.6527 — Rio Tinto/Richards Bay Minerals, to the following address:

European Commission

Directorate-General for Competition

Merger Registry

J-70

1049 Bruxelles/Brussel

BELGIQUE/BELGIË

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(1)  OJ L 24, 29.1.2004, p. 1 (the ‘EC Merger Regulation’).

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(2)  OJ C 56, 5.3.2005, p. 32 (‘Notice on a simplified procedure’).

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