Rio Tinto has announced plans to increase its annual copper output by 8% over the next two years, driven by ramp-up at the Oyu Tolgoi underground expansion in Mongolia and expanded processing capacity at its Kennecott operation in Utah. Oyu Tolgoi’s Phase 2 is on schedule to deliver first commercial concentrate in mid-2027, with expected production of 110,000 tonnes of copper in concentrate in its first full year. Concurrently, Rio’s partnership with Nuton has yielded a 12% improvement in plant energy efficiency at its Queensland copper smelter, reducing Scope 1 emissions by approximately 150,000 tonnes of CO2e annually. The company is investing US$1.2 billion in technology upgrades and automation across its copper portfolio, aiming to lower unit cash costs by US$0.05 per pound of copper. These initiatives position Rio to meet growing demand from the electric vehicle and renewable energy sectors while advancing its target of cutting net carbon emissions by 15% by 2030 compared with 2020 levels.