Rio Tinto leans on copper as Pilbara steadies after earlier storms

Diversified miner Rio Tinto reported robust production results for 2025, highlighted by an 8% year-on-year increase in copper-equivalent output. The strong performance was driven by the company’s copper, bauxite, and lithium operations, complemented by a resurgent Pilbara iron ore system.

CEO Simon Trott said the miner’s performance reflected the depth of its operating discipline and project delivery capability across the portfolio, with record production achieved in several commodities despite a year marked by extreme weather disruptions early on.