Market Chatter: Rio Tinto Said to Face Mine Contamination Claim in Madagascar

08:02 AM EDT, 09/30/2026 (MT Newswires) -- Rio Tinto Group (RIO.L) is facing a lawsuit at London's High Court after a group of Madagascar locals claimed that the mining giant's QIT Madagascar Minerals mine exposed them to dangerous lead and uranium levels, Reuters reported Wednesday. The news agency cited Leigh Day, the law firm representing the claimants, as saying that acidic wastewater from the mine contaminated lakes and waterways used for household water consumption and irrigation. Among the over 6,500 claimants, more than 2,000 are children, the report added. Rio Tinto did not immediately respond to a request for comment from MT Newswires. (Market Chatter news is derived from conversations with market professionals globally. This information is believed to be from reliable sources but may include rumor and speculation. Accuracy is not guaranteed.)