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
The games console would look familiar to any gamer but the eight large video screens less so.
"I’ve got the best job in the world. I get to play video games for a living," says Rio Tinto plant operator Blake McDonald as he crushes iron ore rocks 1,500 km away in the Pilbara. Blake is one of a growing number of employees in Rio Tinto's Operations Centre near Perth Airport.
Rio Tinto's automation programme in Western Australia is picking up speed with a number of new technology pilot programmes. The rock crushing process is joining driverless trains, trucks and drills as one of the parts of the mining operation being deployed and monitored by staff from the Operations Centre in Perth.
At the mine operations, rock-breaking arms sit above primary and secondary crushing stations. When rocks arrive that are too big to go through the the crushing stations, rock-breakers are called into action.
Rock-breaking using remote controlware is now being piloted by staff from the Operations Centre.
We’re using new technologies, data science, machine learning and artificial intelligence across our business
Process engineer Payam Lillo is one of the key members of the Rio Tinto team charged with bringing the remote-controlled rock-breaker online.
According to Payam, the automation of the rock-breaking process is not only making a safer workplace for Rio Tinto's people, but it is also delivering significant efficiencies. These range from reducing human error and maintenance cost to cutting travel time for staff.
And, like the example of maintenance-turned-truck driver Katie, it means that Rio Tinto is casting a much wider net for potential workers.
"The rock-breaker is operated by a gaming console exactly like the ones in living rooms and bedrooms across the country. So an ideal candidate for the job of operating the rock-breaker would be somebody who is not only into gaming, but has a good attitude towards safety and has problem-solving and communications skills," says Payam.
At Rio Tinto, automation has been a part of our business for over ten years. This transition into the automated age of mining has seen new jobs created and people retrained in new technologies to help operate the equipment that will drive the Australian mining industry into the future.
Indeed, technology is changing the nature of mining so rapidly that the capacity to learn and to evolve is just as important as personal history and experience.
A striking example of the new miner is Perth-based pit controller Katie Hill.
Katie began her career in her native New Zealand working in the hotel industry. She spent her days taking bookings and ensuring customers were comfortable and safe on their travels.
Seeking new experiences and greater rewards, Katie relocated to Western Australia where she secured a position with Rio Tinto as a machine operator in one of their iron ore Pilbara mines.
After a couple of years operating equipment in the pit, Katie then expressed interest in becoming a central pit controller for the autonomous haulage operations.
She received initial training in the Pilbara, the heart of Australia's mining industry, then joined the team at the state-of-the-art Operations Centre in Perth, 1,500 kilometres to the south. Here, Katie now supports the remote management of the very trucks she once drove.
"It's certainly a change," laughs Katie, who still has trouble believing that she's gone from operating machines in the Pilbara to now controlling some of the largest trucks in the world all from an office down in Perth.
"It was a bit overwhelming at first," she admits. "But the team at Rio Tinto did everything to make sure the right training and mentoring was provided."
Katie says the ability to multi-task and to manage your time well are the skills most needed to succeed as a central pit controller.
"When things happen in the pit they tend to happen all at once. You need to be calm, a step ahead and proactive. You need to know where you are at all times," explains Katie.
"You have to manage mulitple trucks at a time. During the shift you are constantly in contact with the mine supervisor, operators and schedulers."
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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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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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