Rio Tinto reported an 11% increase in full-year copper production in 2025, delivering 883 kt of copper on a consolidated basis and surpassing the top end of its revised guidance range. This growth was driven by the successful ramp-up of the Oyu Tolgoi underground project, which reached full underground development completion during the year. Iron-ore shipments from Pilbara operations totaled 326.2 Mt, just 1% below 2024’s record, while production of 327.3 Mt was flat year-on-year. The company highlighted that Q4 Pilbara iron-ore output set a new quarterly record at 89.7 Mt, up 4% compared with the same period last year, and shipments climbed 7% to 91.3 Mt despite early-year weather disruptions.

In Q4 2025, Rio Tinto celebrated its first shipment from the Simandou project in Guinea—marking the transition of one of its largest greenfield developments to production. Bauxite production reached 15.4 Mt in the quarter, matching Q4 2024 levels and contributing to a 6% rise to 62.4 Mt for the full year. Aluminium output rose 2% in the quarter to 0.85 Mt, while alumina production was 2.0 Mt, down 1%. Titanium dioxide slag shipments of 0.2 Mt and boric oxide equivalent volumes of 0.1 Mt reflected short-term project impacts. Lithium operations in Argentina delivered a record quarterly volume, supporting the group’s strategy to build out a high-quality lithium portfolio.

Rio Tinto energized a new 25 MW solar facility at its Kennecott copper mine in Utah, increasing the site’s total solar capacity to 30 MW. The installation, completed two months ahead of schedule in partnership with Bechtel, features over 71,000 panels incorporating tellurium produced as a by-product of Kennecott’s copper refining operations. This expansion is expected to reduce the mine’s Scope 2 emissions by approximately 6%, equivalent to removing 4,400 cars from U.S. roads each year, and underscores the company’s focus on circular supply-chain solutions for critical minerals.