SHANGHAI - The four employees of mining giant Rio Tinto charged with taking bribes and stealing commercial secrets appealed for lenient punishment in court on the second day of their trial after pleading guilty to bribery charges, their lawyers said on Tuesday.

Zhang Peihong, a lawyer for one of the accused, said Australian Stern Hu and three Chinese employees of the world's second largest miner asked for mitigated punishment from the court after they admitted to taking bribes and returned part of the money.

The four altogether are charged with accepting bribes exceeding 86 million yuan ($12.6 million) according to the court indictment, but the defendants all contested the amount as specified by the prosecutor, according to their lawyers.