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Rio Tinto is a world leader in finding, mining and processing the earth's mineral resources. The Group's worldwide operations supply essential minerals and metals that help to meet global needs and contribute to improvements in living standards. Rio Tinto encourages strong local identities and has a devolved management philosophy, entrusting responsibility with accountability to the workplace.
In order to deliver superior returns to shareholders over time, Rio Tinto takes a long term and responsible approach to the Group's business. We concentrate on the development of first class ore bodies into large, long life and efficient operations, capable of sustaining competitive advantage through business cycles.
Major products include aluminum, copper, diamonds, energy products (coal and uranium), gold, industrial minerals (borax, titanium dioxide, salt, talc and zircon), and iron ore. The Group's activities span the world but are strongly represented in Australia and North America with significant businesses in South America, Asia, Europe and southern Africa.
Rio Tinto comprises wholly owned subsidiaries (such as Borax, Comalco, Hamersley, Rio Tinto Coal Australia, Kennecott and Rio Tinto Iron & Titanium), partly owned subsidiaries (Coal & Allied and Palabora) and non-managed, (Escondida) and joint ventures (Grasberg) in which public shareholders, other companies or governments are partners.
Wherever Rio Tinto operates, health and safety is our first priority. We seek to contribute to sustainable development. We work as closely as possible with our host countries and communities, respecting laws and customs. We minimize adverse effects and strive to improve every aspect of our performance. We employ local people at all levels and ensure fair and equitable transfer of benefits and enhancement of opportunities.
Our success as a business depends not only on our skills and the quality and diversity of the Group's assets, but also on our shared commitment to be a dependable global partner and good local neighbor.
The products humankind needs come mainly from minerals, one of only three material classifications that, besides air, fire and water, define the planet. In production and supply of minerals and metals, Rio Tinto is one of the most diversified mining companies. While North America and Australia each account for about 40 per cent of the Group's assets, Rio Tinto has activities in more than 40 countries. We lever this diversity into business success, as one of the most consistently profitable mining groups.
When you go shopping, almost everything you buy can be traced back to being a direct or an indirect product of the mining industry, and quite likely of Rio Tinto. The list of minerals and metals that, as industrial raw materials, are the building blocks for our daily shelter and sustenance, include iron, copper, aluminum, titanium dioxide, borates, gold, diamonds, coal, uranium, nickel, zinc, silver, lead, and salt.
If it is not made from one or a combination of these, then whatever you buy, such as food or clothing, could not have been grown, harvested, processed or shipped, without infrastructure fabricated from metals which could have come from a Rio Tinto mine. And when there is substitution, such as aluminum for copper in electrical transmission, Rio Tinto is often on both sides of the equation.
Rio Tinto is also a significant energy producer, providing low-sulphur steam coal to power stations that supply homes, businesses and industries in the US, Australia and elsewhere, and metallurgical coking coal to iron and steel mills in Asia and Europe. The company also mines uranium oxide which, enriched into fuel rods, raises steam in nuclear power stations to generate electricity in Europe, the US and the Asia Pacific. Growing internet use, burgeoning demand for electronic conveniences and home entertainment systems are increasing demand for power in the developed world as in electrification in developing countries.
Iron is the giant among metals. Humankind uses 20 times more iron in the form of steel, which is iron combined with carbon from coal, than all the other major metals put together. The whole infrastructure of modern civilization, from ships to bridges, railways, skyscrapers, cars, trucks, trains, engines, means of production and machines of all kinds, down to humble pins and paperclips, depend on iron. Modern life as we know it would be impossible without iron.
Rio Tinto is the world's second largest producer of iron ore. We produced more than 50 million tons of iron ore a year before acquiring the iron ore assets of North Limited of Australia in 2000.
PRODUCT GROUPS
Iron Ore
Rio Tinto Iron Ore interests are represented by Hamersley and Robe River operations in Australia, the Iron Ore Company of Canada and Rio Tinto Brazil.
Energy
Rio Tinto Energy is represented in coal by Coal & Allied Industries and Rio Tinto Coal Australia, and Rio Tinto Energy America's operations in the US. It also encompasses uranium interests in Energy Resources of Australia and the Rössing Uranium mine in Namibia.
Industrial Minerals
Rio Tinto Minerals' businesses include the Borax operations in Europe and North America, Luzenac (talc) operations in Europe, North America and Australia, Rio Tinto Iron & Titanium interests in Canada and South Africa, and Dampier Salt in Australia.
Aluminum
Rio Tinto Aluminum’s interests are embraced by Comalco operations in Australia, New Zealand, Europe and Guinea.
Copper
Our Copper group interests include Kennecott Utah Copper (US), Northparkes in Australia, Palabora in South Africa, the operations of Kennecott Minerals in North America, Escondida in Chile, and the Grasberg joint venture in Indonesia.
Diamonds
Rio Tinto Diamonds' interests comprise Argyle Diamonds (Australia), Diavik Diamonds (Canada) and the Murowa project in Zimbabwe.
Technology
Rio Tinto's Technology group, Operational and Technical Excellence, provides technical assistance to Rio Tinto's product groups and their businesses, supports corporate policy development, and advises executive management.
Exploration
Rio Tinto Exploration seeks to discover or identify mineral resources that will contribute to the growth of the Rio Tinto Group.
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