MELBOURNE, Aug 3 (Reuters) - Global miner Rio Tinto RIO.AX RIO.L reported its weakest first-half earnings in 12 years, down 47 percent as iron ore and copper prices fell, but the result was better than feared and it unveiled a higher-than-expected dividend.
Underlying earnings for the six months to June fell to $1.56 billion from $2.92 billion a year earlier, beating analysts' forecasts around $1.46 billion, according to an externally compiled consensus.