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
Available jobs
Join our team
Its ambitious green and digital transition policies depend on the sufficient supplies of critical materials such as aluminium, copper, nickel, lithium and rare earth metals. Yet Europe's resources are relatively undeveloped and the continent is dependent on imports, a vulnerable position in an increasingly competitive and unpredictable global market dominated by a few players. Take lithium, an essential component of batteries for electric vehicles, computers and mobile phones, renewable energy, among other technologies. In 2020, the World Bank predicted that global production of minerals such as lithium, graphite and cobalt will need to increase by almost 500% by 2050 to meet the growing demand for renewable energy technologies. An additional three billion tonnes of minerals and metals will be needed for wind, solar and geothermal energy, as well as for energy storage. It is clear that there are currently not enough mining projects (current or future) worldwide to meet this demand.
The question is therefore no longer whether Europe should mine its own land, but how it can do so in a sustainable and responsible way, within what timeframe and at what price.
The draft regulation on raw materials, which the European Commission will soon be detailing, is a positive development. But proposing legislative changes alone will not be enough. European states must do more to encourage new mining projects on their territories. Adopting this perspective is all the more urgent as industry needs many years to identify, develop and exploit new deposits. This requires significant technological, human and financial investment on their part. The most ambitious countries in terms of fighting climate change, such as France and Germany, need to do more to develop these projects, which will directly supply their own industries (from automotive to digital to renewable energies, among others) with the metals they need to ultimately curb climate change.
When it comes to mining, every country and every region is different. What works in a larger country like Australia and Canada won’t necessarily work in a more heavily populated region like Europe. Large-scale mining companies, like Rio Tinto, are using innovation and new technologies to continually reassess the way we work.
We have already committed to investing over US$7 billion globally in decarbonisation and sustainable mining methods. We intend to switch to renewable power to run mining operations, electrifying processing, and where possible, running electric mobile fleets. We are increasing our investment in R&D to speed up the development of technologies that will enable our customers to decarbonise. Technology and partnerships have a key role to play. And finally, we are prioritising growth capital in commodities that are essential for the drive to net zero, to focus on finding, producing and refining critical minerals through assets, technology and partnerships.
Innovation will be crucial to meeting these goals. The opportunity for us, and the mining industry, is to invest even more in technology, and in doing so create new tools for engineering effective recycling procedures, treating the leftover material from mining as a resource instead of waste; and adopting new techniques for exploration, production and recovery.
Of course, the mining industry also has a role to play. It must clearly articulate the plans to help Europe secure critical raw materials, but also demonstrate commitments to European communities.
We are aware, as a company and as an industry, that we have not always been exemplary in the past, and we have learned from this.
We need to continue to work harder to rebuild trust with all relevant stakeholders, to be more transparent with the communities that host our projects, with whom we live and work. All voices must be heard and listened to. It is also up to our industry to invest even more in technology and, in doing so, to create new and more environmentally friendly exploration and production techniques, tools for more efficient recycling procedures, and treat mining tailings as a resource, not solely as waste. The future of the continent’s green transition is at stake and Rio Tinto stands ready to support Europe constructively and in partnership to help drive and deliver a greener future.
Image credits: © Fahroni via Canva.com, © Marcus Millo via Canva.com
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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.
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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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