Feb 17 (Reuters) - Rio Tinto (LON:RIO) Ltd RIO.AX :
* FY PROFIT AFTER TAX USD 10.4 BILLION VERSUS USD 7.0 BILLION YEAR AGO
* ANNOUNCES TOTAL DIVIDEND OF 557 US CENTS PER SHARE FOR 2020
* SPECIAL DIVIDEND OF 93 US CENTS PER SHARE
* FINAL ORDINARY DIVIDEND OF 309 US CENTS PER SHARE
* FY NET EARNINGS $9,769 MILLION VERSUS $8,010 MILLION
* NET DEBT AS AT FY END $ 664 MILLION VERSUS DEBT OF $4,826 MILLION AT JUNE 2020 END
* EXPECT CAPITAL EXPENDITURE TO BE AROUND $7.5 BILLION IN EACH OF 2021 AND 2022
* WORKING TO RESTORE TRUST WITH PUUTU KUNTI KURRAMA AND PINIKURA PEOPLE
* 2023 CAPITAL EXPENDITURE EXPECTED TO BE AROUND $7.5 BILLION
* PROGRESS HAS BEEN MADE AS SET OUT IN JOINT STATEMENT ISSUED IN DECEMBER REGARDING JUUKAN GORGE EVENTS
* SEES EFFECTIVE TAX RATE ON UNDERLYING EARNINGS OF ABOUT 30% IN 2021
* FOR OYU TOLGOI, IN DISCUSSIONS WITH MONGOLIA GOVERNMENT TO ADDRESS & CLOSE OUTSTANDING ISSUES & RAISE PROJECT'S BENEFITS TO STAKEHOLDERS
* SET NEW SCOPE 3 EMISSIONS GOALS
* IN 2021, EXPECT PILBARA IRON ORE UNIT CASH COSTS TO INCREASE TO $16.7-17.7 PER TONNE
* INTENDS TO PUT CO'S ANNUAL TCFD-ALIGNED REPORTING TO AN ADVISORY VOTE AT 2022 ANNUAL GENERAL MEETINGS
* 2021 PRODUCTION GUIDANCE IS UNCHANGED FROM OUR Q4 OPERATIONS REVIEW
* AT JADAR, STUDIES EXPECTED TO BE COMPLETE BY END OF 2021; IF INVESTMENT IS APPROVED, CONSTRUCTION TO TAKE ABOUT 4 YEARS
* AT GUDAI-DARRI, PRODUCTION RAMP-UP ON TRACK FOR EARLY 2022
* NOW TARGETING FIRST PRODUCTION IN 2024 AT WINU
* FY $12.4 BILLION UNDERLYING EARNING WERE 20% ABOVE 2019
* ZULTI SOUTH PROJECT REMAINS ON FULL SUSPENSION
* WILL CONTINUE TO REVIEW MINE PLANS TO ENSURE PROTECTION OF SITES OF EXCEPTIONAL CULTURAL VALUE
* INTEGRATED HERITAGE MANAGEMENT INTO MINING OPERATIONS
* EXPECTS TOTAL CASH RETURNS TO SHAREHOLDERS OVER LONGER TERM TO BE IN RANGE OF 40-60% OF UNDERLYING EARNINGS IN AGGREGATE THROUGH CYCLE