Europe has been part of Rio Tinto’s DNA for more than 150 years, stretching back to our origins in the mines of Huelva, southern Spain. Since our formation in London in 1873, the region has been the constant base from which we are finding better ways to provide the materials the world needs. This is our purpose, reflecting our drive for innovation and continuous improvement, and our vital contribution to everyday life.
A message from our Global Head of External Affairs
Lawrence Dechambenoit, Global Head of External Affair Europe is an important partner for Rio Tinto. It is leading the global push towards resilient supply chains and a net-zero economy, setting ambitions and benchmarks that are shaping sustainability efforts worldwide. At Rio Tinto, we are proud to support this journey. Our commitment to Europe is reflected in our pledge to engage openly, transparently and constructively with European policymakers, investors, customers, civil society and local communities. This dialogue allows us to improve our performance by taking on board the views of a variety of stakeholders in our approach to mining and processing. Our ambition in doing so is to always find better ways of responsibly supplying the critical raw materials that are essential for Europe’s growth, innovation and competitiveness.
Our Commitment
Supporting a Conducive Policy Environment
The European Union has made remarkable progress in developing policies like the Critical Raw Material Act that support our industry and the green and digital economies. These future-looking policies are essential to provide companies like ours with a conducive investment environment in Europe. At Rio Tinto, we are proud to have contributed to these efforts by sharing our global experience, best practices and sectoral knowledge with European policy makers, businesses and industry associations.
In addition to our engagement on the Critical Raw Materials Act, we have also used our expertise to support the development of other key legislative initiatives like the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) and Due Diligence legislation, both of which are important pillars for building responsible and resilient supply chains for Europe’s future.
Supporting Europe’s Competitiveness
A globally competitive Europe requires a secure supply of critical raw materials, green energy, and sustained investment and technological innovation. Rio Tinto already plays a key role in supporting these requirements through the supply of high-grade iron ore and low carbon materials such as aluminium to our European customers, and the metals that we process at our facilities in Iceland, Spain, the Netherlands and France, where we also have an R&D facility that supports our decarbonisation efforts.
Leading with impeccable ESG standards
At Rio Tinto our ambition is to mine sustainably with impeccable ESG. This commitment is deeply embedded in our business strategy together with our pursuit of operational excellence. With extensive global experience in producing critical materials such as aluminium, copper, lithium, and other essential minerals, we will continue to seek opportunities to invest in exploration and mining in Europe for the direct benefit of European customers and industry.
We are ready to help Europe meet its ambitious Net Zero, growth and competitiveness goals. Just as Europe has been a key part of Rio Tinto’s 150-year history as a mining company, we want our partnership with Europe to continue to thrive as we as we look to the years ahead.
Borates operations - Coudekerque, Nules and Rotterdam
Our borates business, U.S. Borax, is a truly global company. Our processing plants and facilities span France, Spain, and the Netherlands and are collectively known as Borax Europe. This strategically placed network offers a tailored, flexible, and efficient service to borates customers across Europe.
Our operations team in Coudekerque, France are experts in high-quality specialty borates. This includes the refinement and distribution of high-purity boric acids for use in highly regulated industries such as agriculture, nuclear energy, and pharmaceuticals.
The water used in the production process is 75% recycled, with more than 95% of production waste also recycled during manufacturing.
We also have strategic distribution operations in Rotterdam, Netherlands and Nules, Spain.
Rotterdam is one of the largest open sea access harbours in the world, with direct links into the European canals, truck roads, and rail networks. At this site, we load, store, pack, and deliver industrial borates.
Our Nules operations are located near the Castellon Port for bulk unloading to best serve customers in Europe and Africa.
Throughout our European operations, we maintain a strong safety culture for employees, vendors, visitors, and customers. Our Coudekerque plant regularly receives awards for its health, safety and environment management.
Aluminium operation - ISAL, Iceland
Despite being a small island in the middle of the North Atlantic Ocean, Iceland is the tenth largest aluminium producer in the world. The ISAL aluminium smelter in Iceland is operated by Rio Tinto Iceland Ltd as part of Rio Tinto Aluminium.
ISAL started producing aluminium in 1969, marking the beginning of the industrialisation of the Icelandic economy. Since then, our ISAL operations have continued to strengthen our purpose to continuously find better ways to produce high-quality aluminium while being sensitive to environmental and societal needs.
Aluminium production at ISAL is mainly centred around value added aluminium billets. These are produced in various alloys, sizes, and diameters, according to the specific needs of our customers.
Almost 100% of the aluminium products enter the European market, where aluminium is considered a critical raw material in the construction industry, auto industry, renewable energy industry, production of solar cells, and much more.
Since 2021, ISAL has partnered with Carbfix on a project to implement technology for capturing carbon and permanently storing it underground at the ISAL aluminium smelter in Iceland. The objective is for the site to become the first smelter in the aluminium industry to successfully capture and store carbon.
Our ISAL operations are also seen as a pioneer in safety, management, and gender equality within Iceland, with a certified equal pay system, combined management system and an ongoing commitment to excellence.
Research & Development centres - Voreppe and Saint-Jean de Maurienne, France
Rio Tinto is a global leader in aluminium production, one of the world’s most widely used metals renowned for its lightweight nature and infinite recyclability.
With a legacy spanning over 110 years, Rio Tinto is committed to producing some of the world’s highest-quality, lowest-carbon footprint aluminium. To achieve this, we are constantly looking for better ways to innovate towards decarbonising the value chain.
At the forefront of our innovation efforts are our cutting-edge R&D centres in France and Canada, functioning as unique testing platforms for aluminium technology solutions.
In France, our centres are strategically located in Voreppe and Saint-Jean de Maurienne, boasting operational histories of 40 and 65 years, respectively. Our R&D centres are integral components of the European and French innovation landscape, fostering collaborations with technology producers, companies, laboratories, and universities.
Over the years, our centres have successfully addressed significant challenges and led impactful projects, focusing on enhancing smelter productivity and lifespan, while minimising the CO2 footprint..
Head office - London
Our global headquarters is located in central London, meaning many of our senior leaders, including the Chief Executive and Chairman, call the UK capital their home. Our location allows us to stay close to Europe while operating at a global level.
London has been an essential part of our story from the beginning: the Rio Tinto Company was registered there on 29 March 1873. Throughout our long history in the country, we have maintained a close relationship with the UK government. This includes supporting the UK Atomic Energy Authority after World War II, and more recently advising on the UK Critical Minerals Strategy and other governmental issues relating to critical minerals supply chains and industrial policy.
We also have a proud history of scientific innovation based in London. We have a long partnership with the Natural History Museum with regular collaboration on scientific research and sponsorship of PhD students.
In 2017, to mark our relationship, we donated a 2.6-billion-year-old, 2.5 tonne lump of iron ore from our mines in Australia. The formation of these rocks released oxygen into the atmosphere accelerating the development of complex life on Earth.
In 2023, we also contributed £150m towards the Centre of Future Materials, hosted by Imperial College London. This Centre is focused on finding innovative ways to provide the materials the world needs for a transition towards cleaner energy sources.
As a world capital of mining, London remains a strategic hub for our business. Other mining companies, investors in the sector, the London Metals Exchange and industry bodies including the International Council on Mining and Metals (ICMM) all contribute to making London a leading centre for developing Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) standards in the mining industry.
External affairs office - Brussels
Governments are some of our most important stakeholders at a multinational, national, and local level. They provide the integral legal and policy frameworks that govern our operations, serve as valued partners, and act as the vital link between communities, the economy, and the environment.
As the de facto capital of the European Union, Brussels offers a unique opportunity for engaging with European policymakers and diverse stakeholders. For this reason, Brussels is home to our Global Head of External Affairs, our Europe team, and part of our Africa team.
Our European External Affairs team actively contributes to shaping EU policy on critical issues such as raw materials, climate change, due diligence, and competitiveness.
Whether working directly or through associations, we are dedicated to supporting the development and implementation of policies aimed at transitioning to cleaner energy sources.
Operating from our Brussels office, we engage with European policy and industry stakeholders and collaborate closely with our global teams. This ensures we can provide Europe with responsibly sourced materials, adhering to high Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) standards, while responding to evolving customer needs.
Commercial team - Paris and Frankfurt
Our Commercial teams based in Paris and Frankfurt help us to forge key partnerships aimed at developing more responsible, traceable, and low-carbon value chains.
In the automotive sector, we are closely working with BMW Group to embed sustainable solutions such as low-carbon primary aluminium and recycled content into their supply chains.
We also have a strategic partnership with Volvo Group to support them with responsible multi-materials material sourcing and solutions for their vehicles such as lithium, low carbon aluminium, copper, and metallics, while Volvo pilots their sustainable autonomous hauling solutions to help decarbonise our operations.
Our Commercial teams have also established partnerships with innovative steel companies such as Swedish industrial startup Stegra (formerly H2 Green Steel) and Rogesa in Germany, to further support our commitment to decarbonising our iron and steel value chains by supplying our iron ores for low-emissions steelmaking. Additionally, an MoU with a view to future ore supply has been signed with Salzgitter Flachstahl GmbH in Germany who are among the industry leaders in the transition to decarbonised steelmaking.
Our decarbonisation and sustainable product efforts are, and will continue to be, pivotal in helping industries and governments achieve the European Union’s Green and Digital Transition ambitions.
Commercial team - Antwerp, Belgium
Rio Tinto has played an important role in the growth and development of the global diamond industry over the past 40 years, with Europe a key part in our diamond mine to market story.
Diamonds are one of the oldest forms of globalised trade, with Europe playing a key role since medieval times. The popularity of diamonds has only grown stronger over the years, with almost half a billion men and women owning at least one piece of diamond jewellery today.
Our history in diamonds began in the early days of diamond exploration in Australia in the 1960s, leading to the remarkable discovery of the Argyle diamond deposit in the remote East Kimberley region of Western Australia in 1979.
The Argyle diamond mine began commercial production in 1983, at the time doubling global rough diamond supply. Argyle diamonds were predominately small and coloured, including a very small proportion of rare pink diamonds.
As these coloured diamonds were like nothing else in the world, Argyle now faced a new challenge – how should these diamonds be marketed? To find the answers, we opened a European Sales Office in Antwerp, Belgium in 1983, the global diamond trading headquarters.
Today, our Antwerp office is the sales and marketing hub for all our diamond productions, including diamonds from the Diavik mine in Canada. Over 100 million rough diamonds pass through our Antwerp office each year, with each diamond carefully assessed for quality.
In 2006, we launched our flagship customer recognition program in Antwerp: The Select DiamantaireTM program. This program is a business-to-business initiative that celebrates achievement of the highest level of expertise in the business and art of diamond trading, cutting, and polishing.
Whilst the Argyle Diamond Mine finished production in 2020 Rio Tinto continues to manage the Argyle Pink DiamondsTM brand through its European sales and marketing office with sales of remaining inventory, secondary market platforms, certification processes and creative collaborations with Argyle Pink Diamonds Icon PartnersTM and other renowned national and international jewellers.
As careful custodians of the previous provenance of our diamonds, their sorting and valuation and the development of long-term customer relationships, Rio Tinto has forged strong links throughout Europe over the past 40 years.“
Sinead Kaufman, Chief Executive Minerals
Exploration - Finland
As a land potentially rich in mineral reserves including nickel, copper and lithium, Finland could have a promising future providing critical materials to the European market.
In 2020, we registered a Finnish subsidiary called Rio Tinto Exploration Finland Oy, made up of a close-knit team of Finnish employees and a wider support network of Rio Tinto employees from around the world.
Supported by a skilled local workforce and world-class partners, Rio Tinto Exploration Finland Oy is prospecting in a way that has a minimal environmental impact. The team regularly organises community meetings in the areas where we operate, giving local people an opportunity to share their opinions and learn more about our work.
With several promising sites mapped out across Finland, we look forward to exploring the possibilities and continuing to share our progress along the way.
From beginning to end
At Rio Tinto, we aspire to be responsible operators from beginning to end.
We plan for the end right from the beginning, incorporating closure through each stage of the asset lifecycle in the way we design, build, and operate. In Europe, we manage 54 legacy sites across France, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. We work with local stakeholders, governments and communities to complete closure activities and repurpose and renew sites.
Le Thoronet Bauxite Mine - Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur, France
Post-mining obligations were completed at Le Thoronet in 2022. Following remediation of the site, the area was extensively revegetated with local plant species and now offers a diverse public space, complete with hiking trails.
Noguères aluminium smelter – Pyrénées-Atlantiques, France
The former Noguères aluminium smelter was operational until 1991. From here, it was decommissioned and repurposed into a 20-hectare solar farm in 2020, helping to power a clean energy future in Europe.
Lannemezan aluminium smelter - Hautes-Pyrénées, France
The Lannemezan smelter was operated at the time by Aluminium Pechiney from the 1960s to 2008. The site was then remediated and developed into a purpose-built industrial area, providing jobs for over 300 people.
Auzat aluminium smelter - Ariège, France
The Auzmat smelter was operated by Aluminium Pechiney from 1907 to 2003. The site has since been transformed into a professional sports complex to support the economic revitalisation of the region.