Rio Tinto-BHP Billiton Arizona Copper Mine Gets Backing Of US Congress

(Reuters) -- The U.S. Congress has cleared the way for global miners Rio Tinto PLC and BHP Billiton Ltd. to swap land with the government, which will allow them to build a long-delayed $6 billion copper mine in Arizona. First proposed nine years ago, the land swap was tucked into the annual defense policy bill passed by the Senate Friday and the House of Representatives last week. The measure will now be sent to President Barack Obama to sign it into law.