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
We are 150
150 years of finding better ways
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
We work across six continents in around 35 countries
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 2022
We have a responsibility to extract the full value from the minerals and materials we produce in the safest and most sustainable way possible
Climate Change
We’re targeting net zero emissions by 2050
Water
Sharing our water usage
We aim to deliver superior returns to our shareholders while safeguarding the environment and meeting our obligations to wider society
Rio Tinto Limited 2023 AGM
Perth: 4 May 2023
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Breaking new ground for copper supply
Taking the world’s fourth-largest copper mine underground
The slow journey from red mud to green plants
Finding new ways to rehabilitate red mud
Road to a greener future
Rio Tinto Partners with BMW Group on Premium Aluminium Car Parts
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Graduates & 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
Production (Rio Tinto share)
Ownership
Started
2022 figures
BSL is a joint venture between Rio Tinto (59.39%), YKK Aluminium (9.50%), UACJ Australia (9.29%), Southern Cross Aluminium (7.71%), Ryowa Development II (6.46%), Ryowa Development (5.19%) and Sumitomo Chemical (2.46%).
At BSL we contribute to the circular economy by recycling, reusing, and reducing waste and retaining value. For example, we recycle around 156 million aluminium cans every year and are Australia’s largest aluminium can recycling facility.
We took part in Australia’s first Circular Economy Lab in 2019 – a Queensland Government initiative designed to launch innovative projects. One of the outcomes is a collaboration between BSL and Container Exchange which runs Queensland’s Containers for Change scheme. Through this partnership, we are exploring ways to recycle even more of Queensland’s aluminium cans at BSL. This would reduce aluminium cans sent offshore for recycling and, in so doing, retain value in Queensland.
At BSL we also strive to find ways to minimise waste by collaborating with other organisations and businesses to find alternative uses for by-products of the smelting process. For example, Spent Cell Lining (SCL) is a by-product of the smelting process and in partnership with Cement Australia, around 10,000 tonnes per annum of SCL is processed on-site at BSL and then used by Cement Australia as a fuel source for their kilns.
In October 2021, we signed a statement of cooperation with the Queensland Government to seize the opportunities presented by clean energy and make Central Queensland an industrial and renewable energy powerhouse.
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The partnership will help ensure Central Queensland can take advantage of our natural energy advantage and drive employment and economic outcomes from investment in renewable energy projects.
“As Queensland’s largest energy user and a major Gladstone employer and manufacturer, Rio Tinto is uniquely positioned to work with the Queensland Government to deliver this vision,” Ivan Vella, Rio Tinto Aluminium Chief Executive, said.
“We have been in the region for more than 50 years and we share the state government’s goals for decarbonisation, job creation and a vibrant industrial future for the region.
“We are working closely with the Queensland Government on the role we can play by underwriting long-term green offtake for our industrial assets. This should help create the industrial demand needed to develop a globally competitive green energy solution and lead to more processing and manufacturing in Central Queensland.”
BSL has expanded significantly since the smelter opened in 1982. A series of multimillion dollar investments increased its capacity from 210,000 tonnes of aluminium per year to today’s capacity of more than 500,000 tonnes of aluminium a year.
BSL continues to invest in a range of technologies including automation projects and also looks for ways to be more energy efficient. For example, in 2018, BSL implemented a A$23 million Undercell Bus Bar project to increase production by an estimated 9,200 tonnes of metal a year without using additional electricity.
At BSL our contribution to the broader Gladstone community is through Here for Gladstone, which is supported by Rio Tinto Yarwun, Boyne Smelters Limited and QAL. Here For Gladstone's formal programmes are governed by a board made up of community and business leaders.
Since we started with our formal programmes in 2002, Here for Gladstone has invested A$6.35 million into the Gladstone community across a wide range of projects to improve the health, livelihood and welfare of the Gladstone community.
For example, feedback showed the Gladstone community are concerned about economic development and diversification. So, in consultation with the community, we launched the Here for Business programme in late 2017 that provides free business coaching and interest-free micro-finance loans to new or expanding businesses. There have been 23 businesses participating in the programme with 74 local jobs created.
We know our operations can have far-reaching impacts on society
At BSL we are fortunate to be able to work with Education Queensland and support an onsite learning centre (Education Queensland and Industry Partnership Business, Industry and Tourism skills centre) that helps students gain work experience to complete their studies.
In addition, BSL’s apprenticeship programme provides people with skills and qualifications to work in the smelting industry. At BSL we pride ourselves on providing quality training in a dynamic environment where apprentices are mentored as they work, allowing them to gain a variety of skills and become experienced tradespeople.
We have a long-standing history of providing apprenticeships, mostly to school leavers looking to start their trade careers, and we generally employ apprentices in the trades of mechanical, electrical, and diesel fitting. Since 2012 we have extended the apprenticeship programme to existing employees who wish to build on their experience by gaining a trade.
At BSL we are committed to contributing to the sustainable development of our community and one of the ways we do this is by striving to employ local people and buy local goods and services. Approximately 73% of our expenditure, including electricity, is sourced from Gladstone suppliers.
Handley Drive Boyne Island QLD 4680 Australia
E: BSL Enquiries T: 1800 886 414
PO Box 524 Gladstone QLD 4680 Australia
T: 1800 886 414
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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.
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.
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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.
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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 this Privacy Policy), and also applicable data privacy laws.
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