Rio Tinto suspends work at Australia bauxite mine after fatality

SYDNEY, Feb 25 (Reuters) - Rio Tinto RIO.AX said it has suspended bauxite mining at its Gove operations in Australia on Tuesday following the death of a worker.

The employee was fatally injured while performing maintenance work, Rio Tinto RIO.L said in a statement e-mailed to Reuters.

"We will be pausing all operations at the mine," the statement said,

All non-essential activity at an adjoining alumina refinery has also been halted for at least 24 hours, according to the company.

The Gove operation produces more than 8.2 million tonnes of bauxite and 2.7 million tonnes of alumina a year.

Rio in November announced it would close the alumina refinery this year because it was losing money but would continue mining bauxite for export.

(Reporting by James Regan; Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman)

((jim.regan@thomsonreuters.com)(+612 9373-1814)(Reuters Messaging: jim.regan.reuters.com@reuters.net))

Keywords: AUSTRALIA RIOTINTO