A U.S. federal judge on Thursday signaled readiness to approve Rio Tinto’s $138.75 million settlement resolving class‑action claims that the company and former affiliate Turquoise Hill Resources misled investors about delays and cost overruns at the Oyu Tolgoi underground copper‑gold expansion in Mongolia. The case, before U.S. District Judge Lewis Liman, centers on statements made between July 2018 and July 2019 concerning the project, which had a budget of roughly $7 billion. Under the proposed resolution, Rio Tinto does not admit wrongdoing. The court requested clarification on the disposition of any residual settlement funds but indicated the deal could proceed to final approval following that step. The settlement was first reached in June and covers shareholders of Turquoise Hill, which Rio Tinto fully acquired in 2022 by purchasing the remaining 49% stake it did not already own. The judge did not set a specific date for a final ruling. Oyu Tolgoi is one of the world’s largest known copper deposits; the underground expansion has experienced schedule revisions and budget changes since initial development plans. The monetary figure, class period and project context derive from Thursday’s court report and prior case filings noted by the parties.