Serving our communitiesmantwo men talking to each other

Serving our communities

Value added contributions

Total value added by Rio Tinto was $7.6 billion in 2004, or 54 per cent of the Group's total turnover. This represents a 20 per cent increase with respect to 2003.

  • 28 per cent was payments to employees, 20 per cent taxes and royalties paid to governments and others, and 35 per cent was reinvested in the business.
  • Payments to the providers of capital represented a further 17 per cent, 88 per cent in dividends and 12 per cent in interest payments
  • Seventy six per cent of wages and salaries are paid locally by the operation. A further 13 per cent takes place at the regional level. Only one per cent is international.
  • 20 per cent of value added was tax and royalty payments, 35 per cent of which are paid directly to local and regional governments. In addition, Rio Tinto generates an important income stream to governments through indirect and other taxes such as employee taxes, social security contributions and custom duties.

Rio Tinto employed over 33,000 people in 2004, most of them at the local level of our operations.


type percentage
Wages 28%
Taxes & royalties 20%
Interest 2%
Dividends 15%
Reinvested 35%
type percentage
Local 76%
Regional 13%
National 10%
International 1%
type percentage
Local 13%
Regional 22%
National 65%
region Indirect taxes - US$ (millions) Direct taxes - US$ (millions)
Australia NZ between 800 and 1000 between 600 and 800
N America between 400 and 600 between 200 and 400
S America less than 200 less than 200
Europe less than 200 less than 200
Africa less than 200 less than 200
Asia less than 200 less than 200