Copper

The use of copper and its principal alloys, bronze and brass, has been part of human progress since the Stone Age 60 centuries ago. The greatest copper deposit ever found, at Rio Tinto in Spain, supplied the Roman Empire and gave its name to our company. Copper has always been on the forefront of technology, a role continuing today with use of more than 15 million tonnes of copper each year.

The Rio Tinto Copper group comprises our wholly owned operations at Kennecott Utah Copper in the US, and joint-venture interests in the copper mines of Escondida in Chile, Grasberg in Indonesia, Northparkes in Australia and Palabora in South Africa. The group has management responsibility for Kennecott Minerals Company in the US and includes interests in undeveloped world class copper ore bodies at La Granja in Peru, Oyu Tolgoi in Mongolia and Resolution in the US. Nickel projects in Indonesia and the US offer a pathway to Rio Tinto Copper becoming a top tier global nickel producer.

Gold is produced at many of our copper mines during the smelting process.

1. Escondida, South America
2. Grasberg, Indonesia
3. Kennecott Utah Copper, North America
4. Northparkes, Australia
5. Palabora, Africa
6. Resolution, North America
7. La Granja, Peru
8. Oyu Tolgoi, Mongolia

For more information about the Rio Tinto Copper group's operations, visit Our operations.