Our products
Rio Tinto discovers, mines, processes and supplies a wide range of metals and minerals that are essential to humanity and to the improvement of living conditions for communities throughout the world. Our operations and activities are located worldwide: in Australia, North America, South America, Asia, Europe and Southern Africa. Our major products include aluminium, copper, diamonds, energy products, gold, industrial minerals (borates, titanium dioxide, salt and talc), and iron ore.
To learn more, select one of our products listed below.
Alumina, aluminium and bauxite
Aluminium is one of the most useful and important metals in the world today. Rio Tinto Alcan is a global supplier of bauxite, alumina and primary aluminium, with an annual production of 30 million tonnes of bauxite, 8.7 million tonnes of alumina and 4.3 million tonnes of aluminium.
Borates
Borate is one of the most essential minerals in modern living. It is a key ingredient in fiberglass, glass, ceramics and wood preservatives. Rio Tinto Minerals supplies nearly half the global demand for refined borates.
Coal
Rio Tinto supplies coal to internationally traded and domestic US and Australian markets. We produce low sulphur steam coal for electricity generating stations, metallurgical coking coal for iron and steel mills, and coal for international trade.
Copper
Copper has always been on the forefront of technology, a role continuing today with the use of more than 15 million tonnes of copper each year. Rio Tinto's Copper group comprises Kennecott Utah Copper in the US and interests in the copper mines of Escondida in Chile, Grasberg in Indonesia, Northparkes in Australia and Palabora in South Africa.
Diamonds
Gem diamonds share the podium with gold as a luxury commodity, principally in diamond rings to mark engagements and the special anniversaries of life, and in jewellery. Rio Tinto has established a firm base for growth in the world diamond industry by creating a market niche for smaller gems, with diamond interests in Australia, Canada and Zimbabwe.
Gold and silver
Gold and silver are two of the most well known precious metals. Rio Tinto produces gold and silver primarily as by products of our copper operations. Rio Tinto gold and silver is sold to fabricators, who use the metals in manufacturing, and to investors such as large banks and gold traders.
Gypsum
Gypsum is a key ingredient in the wallboard, plaster, cement and agriculture markets. Rio Tinto's Dampier Salt operations at Lake MacLeod, Australia, provide high quality natural gypsum to the markets in Africa, Asia and Australia.
Iron ore
Iron ore is the key ingredient in the production of steel, one of the most important and durable products for modern day living. Rio Tinto Iron Ore's key interests are primarily located in Australia and North America.
Molybdenum
Molybdenum is a metallic element frequently used in alloys with stainless steel and other metals. It enhances the metal's toughness, high temperature strength and corrosion resistance. Rio Tinto produces molybdenum as a by product of our copper production.
Salt
Rio Tinto Minerals is the world's largest salt exporter. Salt is indispensable to a wide array of automotive, construction and electronic products, as well as to water treatment, food and health care.
Sulphuric acid
Sulphuric acid is one of the most important industrial chemicals with a wide range of uses. It is produced as a by product of Rio Tinto's copper smelting operations at Kennecott Utah Copper.
Talc
Talc is hydrated magnesium silicate and is the softest rock in the world. It is used in a wide range of everyday products including cosmetics, cables, fertilisers and body powder. Rio Tinto produces talc through our wholly owned subsidiary, Luzenac.
Titanium dioxide
Titanium pigment is the most commonly used white pigment in the world. QIT-Fer et Titane, a wholly owned subsidiary of Rio Tinto, produces titanium dioxide as its main product for sale as a raw material to titanium pigment producers.
Uranium
Uranium is one of the most powerful natural energy sources known to humanity, used in the production of clean, stable energy. Rio Tinto has interests in two uranium mines: Energy Resources of Australia Ltd (ERA) in Australia (68 per cent interest) and Rössing in Namibia (69 per cent).
Other products
Rio Tinto also produces a variety of other metals and minerals, including nickel, potash, lead and zinc. Many of these are by products of our other key operations in iron ore, copper, energy, industrial minerals, aluminium and diamonds.