Finding better ways to provide the materials the world needs
Our business
We operate in 35 countries where our 60,000 employees are working to find better ways to provide the materials the world needs
Our purpose in action
Continuous improvement and innovation are part of our DNA
Innovation
The need for innovation is greater than ever
We supply the metals and minerals used to help the world grow and decarbonise
Iron Ore
The primary raw material used to make steel, which is strong, long-lasting and cost-efficient
Lithium
The lightest of all metals, it is a key element needed for low-carbon technologies
Copper
Tough but malleable, corrosion-resistant and recyclable, and an excellent conductor of heat and transmitter of electricity
Bringing to market materials critical to urbanisation and the transition to a low-carbon economy
Oyu Tolgoi
One of the most modern, safe and sustainable operations in the world
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
Climate Change
We’re targeting net zero emissions by 2050
Nature solutions
Our nature-based solutions projects complement the work we're doing to reduce our Scope 1 and 2 emissions
Enabling ESG transparency
Our START™ initiative tracks traceability and responsible production of Rio Tinto materials.
We aim to deliver superior returns to our shareholders while safeguarding the environment and meeting our obligations to wider society
Reports 2024
Download our 2024 suite of reports, including our 2024 Taxes and Royalties Paid Report, detailing $8.4 billion of taxes and royalties paid globally during the year
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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
Refuelling the mining industry
How can we power the world’s biggest machines with new fuel solutions?
Forging a low-carbon future
How we're working to decarbonise iron ore and steel
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
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(this is now integrated within our 2024 annual report)
Our first Climate Action Plan (CAP) was approved by investors at our 2022 Annual General Meetings. At that time, we included a commitment to report on our progress annually and update the CAP every 3 years. The updated 2025 CAP retains our commitments to decarbonise our assets and work with customers and suppliers to reduce our value chain emissions. It also shows how the energy transition is at the heart of our strategy.
Copper, lithium, aluminium and high-quality iron ore are fundamental to renewable energy infrastructure, electric vehicles, and energy storage solutions. This global shift to a low-carbon economy is driving unprecedented demand for our commodities. Our ambition is to grow total production by ~3% per year on a copper equivalent basis1.
Iron ore
Aluminium
Minerals
1 Ambition for compound annual growth rate (CAGR) for copper equivalent production from 2024 to 2033, including inorganic lithium growth. 2 The production target of around 250,000 tonnes of additional mined copper over the next 10 years (2023 to 2033) at Kennecott was previously reported in a release to the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) dated 20 June 2023 titled “Rio Tinto invests to strengthen copper supply in US”. Rio Tinto confirms that all material assumptions underpinning that production target continue to apply and have not materially changed.
We aim to reduce our net Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 50% by 2030 (relative to 2018 levels), and to reach net zero by 2050.
We follow the principles of the mitigation hierarchy, prioritising abatement of emissions from electricity generation and use, process emissions and direct fuel consumption. In line with the IFRS standard on climate-related disclosures (S2), we report gross and net emissions separately.
Our target applies to our net operational emissions on an equity share basis. Our gross Scope 1 and 2 emissions reductions are expected to be at least 40% by 2030, and the use of carbon credits towards our target will be limited to 10% of our 2018 baseline.
In 2024, our net emissions include the use of Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs) by our Australian assets to comply with the Safeguard Mechanism in the calendar year 20241.
Our targets cover more than 95% of our operational emissions and are calculated using the market-based Scope 2 method. To ensure a focus on real reductions and comparability over time, we adjust our 2018 baseline to exclude emissions reductions achieved by divesting assets and allow increases associated with acquisitions.
Repowering Pacific Aluminium Operations
Other renewable electricity developments
Aluminium anodes
Alumina processing
Minerals processing
In 2024, our Scope 3 emissions were 574.6Mt CO2e (equity basis), approximately 19 times higher than our Scope 1 and 2 emissions. This is compared to a restated 2023 number of 572.5 Mt CO2e (equity basis).
The majority of these emissions (94%) stem from customers processing our products, particularly iron ore (69%) and bauxite and alumina (23%).
Specifically, emissions related to iron ore processing were 395.9Mt CO2e in 2024, compared to 399.9Mt CO2e in 2023. Emissions related to bauxite and alumina processing increased from 127.1Mt CO2e (restated) in 2023 to 134.0Mt CO2e in 2024, mostly as a result of increased bauxite sales.
Many of our customers have set public targets for their Scope 1 and 2 emissions (our Scope 3). About 55%1 of our steel-producing customers by direct iron ore sales volume have set public targets to reach net zero or carbon neutrality by 2050. Meanwhile, nearly 33%1 of our bauxite sales are to customers with net zero emissions targets, though only 11% of customers are aiming for net zero by 2050.
Existing pathways
Emerging pathways
Future pathways