JAKARTA (Reuters) - Rio Tinto (>> Rio Tinto Limited) (>> Rio Tinto) is not expected until 2022 to relinquish its interest in the giant Grasberg copper mine in Indonesia operated by the local unit of Freeport McMoRan Inc (>> Freeport-McMoran), a government official said on Friday.

"In 2022 it will automatically convert to a shareholding," the official said, referring to Rio's 40 percent participating interest in Grasberg under a joint venture with PT Freeport Indonesia.

(Reporting by Fergus Jensen)

Stocks treated in this article : Freeport-McMoran, Rio Tinto Limited, Rio Tinto