Finding better ways to provide the materials the world needs
Purpose & Values
The drive for innovation and continuous improvement is at the heart of our purpose
Business Strategy
Climate change is at the heart of our business strategy
Innovation
Finding better ways to do things is in our DNA
We supply the metals and minerals used to help the world grow and decarbonise
Iron Ore
Iron ore is the primary raw material used to make steel
7 things the world will need for a low-carbon future
Wind, sun and water – what else do you need to make renewable energy work?
Sustainability – the expectation, not the exception
Shaping our aluminium product offering to meet demand for greener metals
Bringing to market materials critical to urbanisation and the transition to a low-carbon economy
Look inside a mine of the future
Our most intelligent mine yet is pioneering new mining technologies
Rincon Project
A long-life, low-cost and low-carbon lithium source
Simandou Project
The world’s largest untapped high-grade iron ore deposit
Providing materials the world needs in a responsible way
Sustainability Reporting 2023
As temporary custodians of the land where we operate, we are entrusted with accessing the world’s essential materials and making them available for society’s use
Climate Change
We’re targeting net zero emissions by 2050
Tailings
We’ve launched a new interactive map of our tailings facilities
We aim to deliver superior returns to our shareholders while safeguarding the environment and meeting our obligations to wider society
Reports 2023
Download our 2023 Annual Report, Climate Change Report, Sustainability Fact Book and Taxes Paid Report
Get the latest news, stories and updates
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
A new way to decarbonise steel
Tackling a global challenge
Tackling it all
A short documentary series with the Queensland Reds is inspiring working women everywhere
Discover more about life at Rio Tinto
Graduates and students
If you want to drive real change, we have just the place to do it
Empowering families with flexibility
Supporting new parents of any gender with equal access to parental leave
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Product
Employees
Production (Rio Tinto share)
Ownership
Started
2023 figures
The Iron Ore Company of Canada (IOC) operations are integrated across a mine and processing plant in Labrador City, Newfoundland and Labrador; a port and stockpile in Sept-Iles, Quebec; and a 418 kilometre railway that joins these 2 parts of the operation.
IOC is a joint venture between Rio Tinto (58.7%), Mitsubishi (26.2%) and the Labrador Iron Ore Royalty Income Corporation (15.1%).
Steel-making currently contributes 8% of global carbon emissions. So at IOC, we’re working to reduce our operational footprint while producing iron ore that helps to reduce emissions as a feedstock for steel production.
At IOC, we produce high-grade, low-impurity iron ore – an essential raw material for new iron-making technologies, including the evolving green steel market.
The way we produce our iron ore also helps decarbonise our operations. IOC operates near hydroelectric power, meaning much of our energy use is renewable. We’re also electrifying our steam generation plant and exploring ways to repower our trucks and trains with more renewable fuel sources.
Research and development are a key part of our race to decarbonise too. We’re trialling a plasma burner in one of our furnaces – the first of its kind, which could help us eliminate heavy fuel oil (bunker-C) from the pelletizing process. Through lab-based trials, we are also researching ways to use cold-bonding technologies, and substituting coke breeze with organic carbon sources and other non-carbon-based fuels. And we’re collaborating with industry partners such as Salzgitter to use green hydrogen to work towards zero-carbon iron production.
Our team continually innovates to improve safety and production, using tools such as data analytics, decision-making support, and automation to drive growth and productivity.
The fully integrated operation at IOC is supported by 2 operations centres in Labrador City and Sept-Iles that allows us to ensure our mine, processing operations, port and rail system work together efficiently to achieve maximum productivity.
The rail network is the link between the 2 parts of our operation and all of our rail traffic is managed in real time using state-of-the-art technology and the latest computing, railway communications and signalling protocol technologies.
The mining industry is continuing to grow and evolve, so effective utilisation of our assets is critical for us to remain competitive, reach our full potential and lay a solid foundation for our future.
We have recently added a concentrator, pellet plant and blast hole driller to the automated assets controlled from our Operations Centre in Labrador City. In 2023, we will also add automated dozers and excavators.
Innovation is essential to remain competitive in a changing market. So we’ve established an evolving R&D portfolio at IOC that’s already achieved many advances.
We’ve used R&D to improve our iron ore recovery and production by upwards of 10%.
We’ve also formed close relationships with best-in-class universities, government labs, and startups to assess new technologies that can increase production while reducing operating costs. Our most recent partnerships include research and trials conducted with COREM, College of North Atlantic (CNA), and Memorial University of Newfoundland (MUN) to challenge current processes and make more informed and timely decisions.
IOC works with our Indigenous partners to improve cultural understanding and increase inclusion and diversity. This has included initiatives such as our partnership in developing an online indigenous cultural awareness training package for all IOC employees.
We engage, consult with and participate in events with the following Indigenous Peoples and communities on an ongoing basis in Labrador and Quebec:
These partnerships are supported and guided by impact and benefits agreements which provide a framework for increasing Indigenous participation in employment and procurement opportunities and for promoting educational, environmental, and cultural heritage activities. In 2014, IOC signed agreements with the Labrador Innu and NunatuKavut Community Council. Following this, agreements were signed with Innu of Matimekush-Lac John and Innu of Uashat mak Mani-Utenam in 2020, and the Naskapi Nation in 2023.
Our dispatchers have a full view and control of all rail traffic helping to support the safe, reliable and smooth running of our trains and in turn of our integrated operation.
WABUSH, Canada--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- The Government of Canada awarded C$18.1 million from its Low Carbon Economy Fund to Rio Tinto’s Iron Ore Company of Canada (IOC) to support the decarbonization of iron ore processing at its operations in Labrador West. The funding will enable IOC to reduce the amount of heavy fuel oil that is consumed in the production of iron ore pellets and concentrate. Th
SEPT-ÎLES, Canada--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Rio Tinto’s Iron Ore Company of Canada (IOC) has announced a major donation of CAN$4 million over two years to the Cégep de Sept-Îles in Quebec, Canada for the construction of its new pavilion for training, research and innovation in the railway, industrial maintenance and energy intelligence industries. The initiative is part of a long-standing collabora
LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Rio Tinto and H2 Green Steel, an industrial startup establishing large scale production of green steel, have signed a multi-year supply agreement for high grade direct reduction iron ore pellets from Rio Tinto’s Iron Ore Company of Canada (IOC) operations. Rio Tinto will also purchase and on-sell a part of the surplus low carbon hot briquetted iron (HBI) produced by H
1 Retty Street Sept-Îles Quebec G4R 3C7 Canada
T: +1 418 968 7400
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With the exception of the use of cookies (explained below), Rio Tinto generally does not seek to collect personal data through this website. However if you choose to provide personal data to Rio Tinto through this website (for example, by sending us an email), we will process that personal data to answer your query and if relevant, to manage our business relationship with you or your company. We won't process that personal data for other purposes except where required to meet our legal obligations or otherwise as authorised by law and notified to you.
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