SYDNEY, June 29 (Reuters) - Rio Tinto RIO.AX RIO.L shareholders approved the sale of a suite of Australian coal assets to China-backed Yancoal Australia YAL.AX for $2.69 billion, ending a bidding war with commodities trader Glencore GLEN.L .
The sale was "duly passed" by 97 percent of shareholders of Rio Tinto's UK and Australian-listed shares, Rio Tinto said on Thursday in a statement to the Australian stock exchange.