Core Viewpoint - Rio Tinto is exploring a potential asset swap with China Aluminum, which could reduce China Aluminum's 11% stake in Rio Tinto and allow the company to restart buybacks and pursue new strategic transactions [2][3] Group 1: Asset Swap Details - The asset swap may involve China Aluminum exchanging part of its stake for collaboration in Rio Tinto's mining assets, potentially ending governance restrictions that have limited Rio Tinto's flexibility for 15 years [2] - Potential assets of interest for China Aluminum include the Simandou iron ore project in Guinea and the Oyu Tolgoi copper mine in Mongolia [2] - Another possible swap could involve Rio Tinto's titanium business, which is under strategic review by the new CEO Simon Trott [2] Group 2: Impact on Capital Management - The swap could reduce China Aluminum's stake by 2-3 percentage points, enabling Rio Tinto to conduct buybacks and large-scale mergers without diluting the largest shareholder's equity [3] - The discussions are occurring as CEO Simon Trott pushes for enhanced cost control and a restructuring of the company from four core business units to three, focusing on profitable assets [3] Group 3: Future Updates - Further updates regarding the restructuring may be announced in the next two weeks, with an investor day scheduled for December 4 [4]