Rio Tinto says Chinalco deal gets U.S. clearance

SYDNEY, May 15 (Reuters) - Global miner Rio Tinto's $19.5 billion equity tie-up with Chinese aluminium-maker Chinalco has been cleared by the U.S. Committee on Foreign Investment, Rio Tinto said on Friday. Rio Tinto, desperate to pay off half its $38 billion in debt, lined up the deal in February. It involves selling direct stakes in assets, including in Rio Tinto's Kennecott Utah copper operation in the United States. (Reporting by Mark Bendeich; Editing by Jonathan Standing)