Finding better ways to find the materials the world needs
Oyu Tolgoi is one of the largest known copper and gold deposits in the world. It is also one of the most modern, safe and sustainable operations in the world
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We are a mining and metals company operating in 35 countries around the world. Our purpose is to produce the materials essential to human progress.
We are one of the world’s leading producers of iron ore. We operate an integrated portfolio of iron ore assets: a network of 17 iron ore mines, four port terminals, a rail network spanning nearly 2,000 kilometres and related infrastructure in the Pilbara region of Western Australia.
Insights from data help us to explore and extract our iron ore efficiently. Our Operations Centre in Perth uses next-generation technologies, including artificial intelligence, automation and robotics, to run operations in real-time and respond quickly to changes. Our AutoHaul™ train system is the first fully autonomous, long-distance, heavy-haul rail network – the world’s largest robot.
Each of these elements works together to deliver high-quality iron ore, including our flagship Pilbara Blend™, to our customers reliably and safely.
Our three operations at Dampier Salt, in Western Australia, are also part of our Iron Ore business.
We are a global leader in aluminium, with a large-scale, vertically-integrated business: bauxite mines and alumina refineries as well as smelters producing aluminium certified as responsible.
Managing the process from start to finish allows us to bring quality products to our customers reliably and efficiently: from high-grade bauxite for the global seaborne trade to sustainably sourced aluminium for beverage packaging to new, lighter alloys for the automotive industry.
Our Canadian operations average in the first decile of the industry cost-curve and produce aluminium using clean, renewable hydropower. Since its upgrade in 2015, our Kitimat smelter in British Columbia has produced twice as much aluminium with half the emissions. And, the greenhouse gas emissions intensity of our managed Atlantic Operations smelters represents less than one-fifth of the industry average.
* Non-managed Joint Venture operations
Copper is essential to the transition to a low-carbon future as it plays a key role in electrification and power generation, including in renewable energy and electric vehicles. Our operations span the globe, from Mongolia to Chile to the US, and occupy various stages of the mining lifecycle – from exploration to rehabilitation. Our Kennecott mine and the Oyu Tolgoi mine were the world’s first to be awarded the Copper Mark, verifying their copper is responsibly produced.
Global demand for copper is set to grow, driven by urbanisation, industrialisation and increasing requirements for renewable energy: copper plays a key role in electrification and power production. For example, a wind turbine capable of generating a megawatt of power – enough to supply several hundred homes – needs more than three tonnes of copper.
Our Minerals product group provides materials essential to a wide variety of industries, ranging from agriculture to renewable energy and electric vehicles. We produce high-grade low impurity iron ore pellets and concentrate, titanium dioxide and borates from our operations in Africa, Canada and the US. We contribute to Rio Tinto’s sustainable growth by unlocking value from our high-grade orebodies and developing new materials. By giving a second life to mining waste with by-products, we are expanding our frontiers for the increasing demand for critical minerals.
Minerals also includes our fully integrated diamonds exploration, mining and sales and marketing business. As a founding member of the Responsible Jewellery Council, we support responsible and ethical social and environmental practices throughout the jewellery supply chain. We are also members of the World Diamond Council and the Natural Diamond Council which uphold the reputation of diamond miners as careful custodians of these natural treasures.
Our Commercial group encompasses our global sales and marketing, procurement, and marine and logistics operations. By harnessing the skills, knowledge and insights we acquire from everything we buy, sell and move around the world, we focus on deepening customer and market insights, improving connections and accelerating decisions between our markets and assets and partnering with customers and suppliers to generate additional value.
We use some of the most advanced exploration technologies in the world to find potential new sources of minerals and metals. We consider new products and operations with an understanding of our customers' and communities' needs. We are also mindful of our potential future social and environmental impact as well as the diversity and balance of our portfolio.
We assess each potential operation with a focus on risk, potential returns, and long-term sustainability and value. Once we have approved an investment, we design and build each operation, informed by input from those stakeholders most affected. We aim to develop every potential site to achieve optimal, long-term productivity while minimising risks. We work in partnership with a growing network of stakeholders – governments, communities, customers and suppliers – who help expand our thinking, capabilities and ultimately our ability to deliver mutual benefit.
A safe site is a productive site, and advanced technologies are playing a more important role in how we achieve both. We also share best practices across our assets to create safe, environmentally responsible working practices and a high-performing culture that targets production at lower costs.
At the same time, our operations aim to benefit local economies by contributing jobs, taxes and royalties, contracts with local businesses and social and community investment. We also supported the economic diversification of regions where we are based, in alignment with national and local government plans, ensuring host communities can thrive long after our operations close. Our ambition is for our operations to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2050.
By understanding and respecting our business partners, employees, communities, and the environment, we can create sustainable value for all our stakeholders.
Our minerals and metals are essential to the transition to a low-carbon future used in a vast array of everyday products – from cars to coffee pods to smart phones. Our Commercial team ensure that we align our products with market and customer needs. And our network of rail, ports and ships means that we can control end-to-end logistics to deliver our products safely, efficiently and reliably.
We aim to design and run our assets to create a positive legacy once our mining activity concludes. We engage stakeholders of our sites nearing closure – including Indigenous peoples, government, employees and host communities – and actively involve them in planning.
Applying this approach could entail rehabilitating the land for a nature reserve, for example, or repurposing it for light industrial use. Each of our sites has rehabilitation plans that we review each year. We see this long-term approach – planning and operating with the future in mind – as integral to running a safe, responsible and profitable business.
How we process personal data provided or obtained through this website.
With the exception of the use of cookies, 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.
If you choose to subscribe to our media releases or other communications, you can unsubscribe at any time (by following the instructions in the email or by contacting us).
With your consent, our website uses cookies to distinguish you from other users of our website. This helps us to provide you with a good experience when you browse our website and also allows us to improve our site. A cookie is a small file of letters and numbers that we store on your browser or the hard drive of your computer if you agree. Cookies contain information that is transferred to your computer's hard drive.
As some data privacy laws regulate IP addresses and other information collected through the use of cookies as personal data, Rio Tinto’s processing of such personal data needs to comply with its Data Privacy Standard (see Part 1 of our Privacy Policy), and also applicable data privacy laws.
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.
Part 1 of this Privacy Policy contains the Rio Tinto Data Privacy Standard, which provides an overview of Rio Tinto’s approach to personal data processing. There is additional information in the appendices to the Data Privacy Standard, including information about disclosures, trans-border data transfers, the exercise of data subject rights and how to make complaints or obtain further information relating to Rio Tinto’s processing of your personal data.
If you choose to subscribe to our media releases or other communications, you can unsubscribe at any time (by following the instructions in the email or by contacting us at digital.comms@riotinto.com).
With your consent, our website uses cookies to distinguish you from other users of our website. This helps us to provide you with a good experience when you browse our website and also allows us to improve our site.
A cookie is a small file of letters and numbers that we store on your browser or the hard drive of your computer if you agree. Cookies contain information that is transferred to your computer's hard drive.
As some data privacy laws regulate IP addresses and other information collected through the use of cookies as personal data, Rio Tinto’s processing of such personal data needs to comply with its Data Privacy Standard (see Part 1 of this Privacy Policy), and also applicable data privacy laws.
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