Rio Tinto CEO Jakob Stausholm was "devastated" over the news of sexual harassment lawsuits against the company, he told Reuters on Thursday, while also expressing optimism for a potential lithium tie-up in Chile with State-owned Codelco. The chief executive of the global miner pledged action if wrongdoing is confirmed. "If something that is not okay is happening, it's unacceptable. And we'll do everything to avoid that," he said in an interview, referring to allegations of sexual harassment at Rio Tinto's Australian mine sites. "I was devastated when I read the news the other morning." Speaking about the company's lithium plans in Latin America, Stausholm noted that Rio Tinto is on a short-list to partner with Codelco in Chile's Maricunga salt flat.