Rio Tinto
about
Finding better ways to provide the materials the world needs
Rio Tinto is a leading global mining and processing company. Operating in 35 countries, Rio Tinto produces iron ore, copper, aluminium, critical minerals and other materials the world needs to grow and decarbonise.
These metals and minerals are found everywhere in everyday life: aluminium for cars, copper for renewable energy technologies, iron ore for the steel in our cities, and lithium for electric vehicles.
Rio Tinto’s purpose is finding better ways™ to provide the materials the world needs. It reflects their focus on innovation and continuous improvement, providing low-carbon materials, and meeting the highest environmental, social and governance standards.
expertise
Transforming materials for the future
Rio Tinto produces the materials the world needs to build a low-carbon future – from copper for electrification, to aluminium for lighter, more sustainable transport, to minerals essential for renewable energy technologies.
Rio Tinto’s strength lies in pairing operational excellence with a deep commitment to innovation. Across their global operations, they’re rethinking how materials are mined, processed and used – investing in technologies and partnerships that make their business safer, smarter and more sustainable.
Innovation grounded in purpose
The future of materials lies in collaboration. That’s why Rio Tinto launched the Rio Tinto Centre for Future Materials: to bring together leading minds from academia and industry to accelerate innovation in advanced materials and manufacturing.
From developing low-carbon aluminium and battery-grade lithium, to advancing new methods of processing critical minerals with lower water and energy use, they’re working to create value at every stage of the materials lifecycle – while reducing their environmental footprint and supporting the communities where they operate.
Unlocking progress through partnership
To mark their 150th anniversary in 2023, they launched the Rio Tinto Centre for Future Materials in partnership with Imperial College and other leading universities around the world.
Created with an investment of US$150 million from Rio Tinto over 10 years, the Centre connects some of the world’s best academic minds with the capability and commitment of industry to tackle one of the world’s most urgent challenges: accelerating the journey to net zero.
The Centre builds on shared strengths in materials science, engineering, and sustainability, combining deep operational and technical expertise with transformational academic research.
Their vision for the Centre is to enable transformational research that drives us further and faster to net zero – from responsibly sourcing essential materials, to improving the recycling of critical resources, to developing new materials for a more sustainable world.
quote
“The world is changing at an unprecedented pace. To meet the needs of the energy transition, we must urgently deliver more materials – faster, more sustainably, and more cost-effectively.”
Dan Walker
Chief Innovation Officer
Rio Tinto
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Gallery
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Saskia Duyvesteyn
Dan Walker
Chief Innovation Officer
Melinda Buckland
Head of Communities and Social Performance
Marie-Pierre Paquin
Head of Science and Partnerships
Julie Bouchard
Co-Director
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Research
Pioneering new frontiers in materials research – rethinking how we discover, extract, use and restore resources through radical science, bold ideas and deep collaboration.
Our Team
Meet world-class experts reimagining materials – from governance to social science and technical innovation – across six global partners.
Our Partners
Founded by six global partners, our Centre unites scientific excellence with industry insight – led by Rio Tinto and Imperial College London and spans four continents.
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