Rio Tinto Copper Production Rises as Oyu Tolgoi Ramps Up

Rio Tinto Group’s copper production rose 9% in the first quarter, thanks to a ramp-up at the Oyu Tolgoi copper mine in Mongolia, while iron ore output in Australia also climbed in spite of seasonal weather disruptions.

Copper, the key metal for electrification and a priority for all major mining companies including Rio, is seeing soaring demand as the world decarbonizes and data centers see growth. Output of the red metal jumped to 229,000 tons, Rio said in a statement Tuesday.