Glencore Said to Study Combining Australian Coal Assets With Rio

Glencore Xstrata Plc, the biggest exporter of power-station coal, is studying a plan to combine some of its Australian coal operations with mines run by Rio Tinto Group, two people with knowledge of the matter said.

Glencore and Rio own some of the largest thermal-coal mines in the Hunter Valley region of New South Wales and have held initial talks on ways to share mines and infrastructure to cut costs, the people said, asking not to be identified as the discussions are confidential. There’s no certainty an agreement will be reached, one of the people said.