Rio Tinto to cut 700 job over Easter.

Rio Tinto has cut 600 jobs at the local alumina refinery in Gladstone, a central Queensland city. The company blamed falling commodity prices on the job cuts. Another 100 jobs will go in Weipa, where they produce bauxite.

Rio Tinto Alcan spokeswoman Diane Collier a Rio Tinto Alcan Spokeswoman said,

Job shedding will put the company in a stronger position. We are responding to market conditions - they are tough. The outlook for aluminium remains poor and really if we do this now we hopefully will be repositioning ourself well for when the commodity prices return and the market recovers.