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
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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
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
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They are a fluke of nature and the ultimate in luxury, made in Australia.
Discovered in a dusty creek bed in Western Australia, today, Argyle diamonds can be found every place diamonds are loved – sparkling in jewellery store windows to royal palaces to weddings to prized collections.
“It’s hard enough to find a diamond deposit – but to get a treasure trove of pink, red, blue, violet, champagne and cognac diamonds, that’s really something else,” says Murray, a geologist, who has worked in our Diamonds team for 20 years.
“What we discovered at Argyle was an entirely new specimen of diamond. It changed diamond markets forever and showed coloured gems in a whole new light – not just the famous Argyle pinks, which represented less than 1% of production, but champagne and cognac gems too.
“When Argyle came on stream it virtually doubled world diamond production overnight and became the world’s largest producer of coloured diamonds,” Murray said.
Nearly 40 years and more than 865 million carats later, this year, we mined the last Argyle diamond. Today, the mine has begun its transition to closure.
“A huge part of the appeal of Argyle diamonds is their story – where they come from,” Murray said.
The story of all diamonds begins deep within the Earth, and at least a billion years ago – that’s about twice as old as life on dry land. Diamonds form from carbon that has been subjected to extremely high temperatures – around 1,100 degrees Celsius – and pressures over long periods of time. These conditions exist only at depths of 120-250km beneath the surface of the Earth, in a part of the planet known as the mantle.
“All diamonds start as white, but certain conditions – like pressure and stress – change their colour,” Murray says. “Pink diamonds are even more extraordinary because there’s a very small window when the heat and pressure turns them into the magnificent fancy pinks, reds, purples and blues Argyle is famous for. And right at that moment a volcanic eruption has brought them to the surface.
It’s not so much the end as a new beginning . Over the next five years we will rehabilitate the land before handing it back to its traditional custodians – the Miriuwung, Gidja, Malgnin and Wularr peoples.
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Our mine closure plan outlines our approach to decommission the mine, reshape and rehabilitate the land, preserve ecological and cultural heritage values, and support future land uses by Traditional Owners such as cattle grazing and cultural tourism activities.
Feedback from Traditional Owners and regulators on the mine closure plan has provided valuable insights into developing our closure approach. Argyle has also worked closely with the local East Kimberley communities, businesses and government to understand the impacts of closure and prepare communities for transition after almost four decades of mining.
Argyle represents not only an extraordinary geological phenomenon, but a unique story of breaking moulds and challenging stereotypes.
From the beginning there was the challenge of attracting attention to an unusually high proportion of small, coloured diamonds, almost all in what are now known as the champagne colours and in strong demand in fashion jewellery in all major markets around the world.
At the other end of the coloured diamond spectrum, the strong market reaction in 1984 to the small but consistent volume of Argyle pink diamonds launched an icon: they became the Rolls Royce of the diamond market. They speak the language of exclusivity, desirability and collectability.
After running for almost 40 years, the annual Argyle Pink Diamonds Tender – which features a carefully curated catalogue of the finest gems from Argyle and an exclusive, invitation-only clientele – will end in 2021.
“I’ve had people from all over the world tell me: ‘the gems are beautiful, but it’s not about the diamonds – it’s about their origin, their honourable pedigree and their story,” Murray says.
Like all great stories, this one has an end. But no diamond story would be complete without a happily ever after. Ours is this: the rich, rare and romantic hues of our Argyle diamonds will live on in the hearts of everyone they touch, and as the lasting legacy of the East Kimberley, a wild, extraordinary corner of Australia.
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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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