Finding better ways to provide the materials the world needs
Our business
We operate in 35 countries where our 60,000+ employees are working to find better ways to provide the materials the world needs
Our purpose in action
Continuous improvement and innovation are part of our DNA
Innovation
The need for innovation is greater than ever
We supply the metals and minerals used to help the world grow and decarbonise
Iron Ore
The primary raw material used to make steel, which is strong, long-lasting and cost-efficient
Lithium
The lightest of all metals, it is a key element needed for low-carbon technologies
Copper
Tough but malleable, corrosion-resistant and recyclable, and an excellent conductor of heat and transmitter of electricity
Bringing to market materials critical to urbanisation and the transition to a low-carbon economy
Oyu Tolgoi
One of the most modern, safe and sustainable operations in the world
Simandou Project
The world’s largest untapped high-grade iron ore deposit
Western Australia
While iron ore is central to our operations in WA, we have a diverse presence across the state, from salt, lithium, our diamond legacy and our promising copper-gold project
Providing materials the world needs in a responsible way
Climate Change
We’re targeting net zero emissions by 2050
Nature solutions
Our nature-based solutions projects complement the work we're doing to reduce our Scope 1 and 2 emissions
Enabling ESG transparency
Our START™ initiative tracks traceability and responsible production of Rio Tinto materials.
We aim to deliver superior returns to our shareholders while safeguarding the environment and meeting our obligations to wider society
Lithium Deep Dive and site visit, 8 December 2025
An investor site visit to our lithium operations in Argentina
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Things You Can't Live Without
Our podcast discussing what needs to happen to create a sustainable future for the everyday items we have come to rely on
Refuelling the mining industry
How can we power the world’s biggest machines with new fuel solutions?
Forging a low-carbon future
How we're working to decarbonise iron ore and steel
Discover more about life at Rio Tinto
Graduates and interns
If you want to drive real change, we have just the place to do it
In-house consulting
Discover how our in-house consultancy team, PACE, offers a unique opportunity to help shape Rio Tinto from the inside
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Our iron ore journey in Western Australia began 60 years ago. It started in 1966 with our first shipment from Mount Tom Price in the Pilbara. Today, Western Australia is home to some of the world’s most innovative mining operations. From our iron ore mines in the Pilbara to a copper project in Winu, a lithium mine in Mt Cattlin and our salt operations, our roots in Western Australia remain strong as we find better ways to provide the materials the world needs.
In the Pilbara region, we own a world-class, integrated network of 18 mines, 4 independent port terminals, a rail network spanning nearly 2,000 kilometres and related infrastructure – all designed to respond rapidly to changes in demand. We are one of the world’s leading producers and exporters of iron ore.
The Pilbara is also home to Dampier Salt Limited (DSL), with two solar salt operations across Dampier and Port Hedland.
Our state-of-the-art Operations Centre in Perth allows the autonomous trucks, trains, plants and drills across our mines, ports and rail systems to be operated from a single location 1,500 kilometres from the Pilbara. In 2018, we launched the world’s first automated heavy-haul rail network, named AutoHaul™, capable of moving more than one million tonnes of iron ore a day. It improves safety by reducing risk at level crossings and through automated responses to speed restrictions and alarms, eliminating the need to transport drivers to and from trains mid-journey. This saves almost 1.5 million kilometres of road travel every year. Approximately 90% of our haul truck fleet across our Pilbara sites is also autonomous. These trucks, which use pre-defined GPS courses to automatically navigate haul roads and intersections, allow us to move more material, safely and more efficiently, increasing productivity. We also continue to expand our Autonomous Drilling System (ADS) and now have a fleet of 40 production drills across 7 sites. ADS allows us to monitor multiple drills from different manufacturers across multiple sites from remote drill consoles in Perth. Besides our mining sites across Western Australia, we also have:
While iron ore is central to our Western Australian operations, we have a diverse presence across the state - from salt production in Dampier and lithium at Mt Cattlin near Ravensthorpe, to the legacy of Argyle in the Kimberley and Winu, a promising copper-gold project in the Pilbara.