Resourcing tomorrow with more mines, more responsibly

Rio Tinto has used an international mining conference to spruik its climate and cultural credentials, pledging to drive change at every level of its business.

Geologist Sinead Kaufman, Rio’s chief executive of minerals, said she appreciates “many are sceptical about the ability of the mining industry to deliver on the climate front, beyond issuing ambitious and long-dated targets.”

“That is why we are sharing a clear pathway to material reductions by the end of the decade,” she told the World Mining Congress on Wednesday.

“We need to meet societal expectations and partner with others to mine sustainably.”

Rio Tinto blew up the 46,000-year-old Juukan caves in 2020, devastating West Australian custodians and causing global outrage.

It had legal permission to destroy the sacred site but later conceded it breached the Puutu Kunti Kurrama and Pinikura peoples’ trust in doing so.

More than 3500 delegates from 70 countries have gathered in Brisbane to tackle challenges for mining in the coming decades, and enjoy the latest gadgets and gizmos in the vast exhibition hall.

CSIRO has its search and rescue robots – including Chilli, named after the mum of Bluey and Bingo, which is equipped with eight cameras and pincers.

Designed for complex search and rescue missions in hard to reach corners underground, they keep mining workers out of harm’s way.

Nearby is a giant Sandvik electro-hydraulic top hammer long hole drill, which also comes in an electric version for the climate-savvy operator.

Thiess and Caterpillar have a live demonstration with two operators on hand to drive semi-autonomous dozers on a mine site more than 800km away.

At Gudai-Darri, Rio’s newest iron ore mine in the Pilbara, the company is working with Caterpillar to develop a new fleet of autonomous, zero-emissions haul trucks.

“Gudai-Darri could be the first mine in the world to use them,” Ms Kaufman said.

Ms Kaufman has recently been in Victoria where Rio is constructing a laboratory to test how their minerals will perform in electric vehicle batteries.

Long-term electric vehicle and lithium demand forecasts continue to be revised upwards as governments and companies ramp up efforts to limit global warming.

The lithium market is expected to grow five-fold between now and 2030, with a significant supply-demand deficit expected from the second half of this decade.

This means more battery materials, and more mines, are needed.

Ms Kaufman said the battery lab, set to operate from November, is a critical support for Rio’s battery materials business that was established in 2021 with an eye on commodities needed for the drive to net zero.

The company is also implementing all the recommendations of the Everyday Respect report that highlighted deeply disturbing incidents of bullying, sexual harassment, racism, and other forms of discrimination within the company.

She said the alarming results “did not reflect the Rio Tinto we want to be”.