Chinalco Says Rio Tinto Detention Not Tied to Commercial Pact

July 10 (Bloomberg) -- Aluminum Corp. of China denied any connection with the detention of Rio Tinto Group’s iron ore chief in China, Stern Hu, and three Chinese employees, Vice President Lu Youqing said. China said yesterday the Shanghai State Security Bureau arrested Hu after obtaining evidence he stole state secrets. Australian government officials plan to meet Hu, an Australian national, today. London-based Rio last month scrapped a $19.5 billion investment by Chinalco, as the state-controlled company is also known, and is deadlocked in iron ore price talks with steelmakers. “This has nothing to do with Chinalco,” Lu said by phone from Beijing today. “In China, business should be done in accordance with the law and legal procedures.” Chinalco said in a separate statement today that it has been in contact with Rio Tinto expressing “mutual concern for the current situation with their staff.” “We have also reasserted that the situation is in no way related to any commercial dealings between Rio and Chinalco,” the Beijing-based company said in the e-mailed statement. Rio Tinto spokesman Ian Head couldn’t immediately be reached for comment.