Aluminum Corp. of China (ACH), also known as Chinalco, is willing to open discussions with Anglo-Australian miner Rio Tinto Plc (RTP) for cooperation in bauxite and alumina production, Chinalco's vice president Lu Youqing told Dow Jones Newswires Monday.

Lu was responding to comments by Rio Tinto's chief financial officer Guy Elliott, reported by the Australian Financial Review Monday, that the miner is in very early stages of talks with Chinalco on a possible bauxite and alumina deal.

"We've indicated that we're willing to talk, but I know of no other details to share for now," Lu said.

Elliott told analysts the talks have only just started and are a long way from materializing, the Australian Financial Review said.

The indications from both sides of renewed talks signal a thaw in relations after Rio Tinto abandoned a $19.5 billion alliance with Chinalco earlier this year. Even after Rio Tinto employees were accused by the Chinese government of bribery and commercial espionage in relation to annual iron ore price talks, Chinalco had also taken pains to distance itself from the affair, publicly saying that the Rio case wasn't linked to the failed Rio-Chinalco deal.

-By Chuin-Wei Yap, Dow Jones Newswires; 8610 6588 5848; chuin-wei.yap@dowjones.com