SYDNEY, March 26 (Reuters) - Rio Tinto (LON:RIO) RIO.AX on Saturday said it did not expect production at its giant Oyu Tolgoi copper mine in Mongolia to be affected by a landslip.
Media reports of a wall slide in the open pit were incorrect, a company spokesman told Reuters by email.
"There was a bench failure that we are not expecting to affect our guidance," he said.
"The bench was being actively monitored, all safety procedures were followed and no employees were at risk."
The Oyu Tolgoi mine in the Gobi Desert is operated by Turquoise Hill, a Canada-listed subsidiary of Rio Tinto.
Turquoise Hill TRQ.TO announced on March 17 that the mine was expected to produce 175,000 to 195,000 tonnes of copper in 2016. Tolgoi was also expected to produce 210,000 to 260,000 ounces of gold in concentrates for 2016, the announcement said.