Rio Tinto Targets 2030s Opening for Arizona Copper Mine, May Export Concentrate Due to US Smelting Costs

Published: Mar 25, 2026 16:15

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Rio Tinto aims to open Arizona’s Resolution Copper mine by the mid-2030s but may need to export some of its copper concentrate due to the challenging economics of smelting in the US, a senior executive told Reuters on Tuesday.The Anglo-Australian mining giant this month gained control of acreage needed to build one of the world’s largest copper mines after a years-long court fight in which rising US demand for the red metal clashed with the religious rights of the San Carlos Apache people.

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