Rio Tinto Minerals
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Mining three of life's essential minerals
Rio Tinto Minerals is an amalgamation of three highly specialised mineral producers who have been brought together under common management to better service their international markets. Rio Tinto Minerals is the most global of all Rio Tinto commodity groups with operations on five continents.
Rio Tinto Borax, the world leader in borate supply and science; Luzenac, the world's foremost talc producer; and Dampier Salt, the premier exporter of solar salt make up Rio Tinto Minerals which, together with Rio Tinto Iron & Titanium forms part of the Diamonds and Minerals product group.
Rio Tinto Minerals is focused on expertise, infrastructure, marketing knowledge and economies of scale in order to support the rising global demand for high-quality industrial minerals.
Borax was acquired by Rio Tinto in 1967. Today it supplies 43 per cent of global demand for refined borates and is the acknowledged world leader in borate supply and science. Rio Tinto Borax operations are based in Boron, California although the company has a mine in Argentina, refining and packaging plants in Spain, France and South America, shipping facilities in Rotterdam and Los Angeles and other interests in China and Taiwan.
Luzenac, the previous name of the talc division, is derived from the name of a village in the French Pyrenees where its first plant was located to process ore from the world's largest talc deposit. The company employs 1,500 people in Europe, North America, Australia and Asia, and supplies 25 per cent of the world talc market. Talc is used in markets such as paper, paints, plastics, ceramics, personal care products, agriculture and pharmaceuticals.
Dampier Salt exports 8.5 million tonnes of salt and more than one million tonnes of gypsum mined at three locations in Western Australia; Dampier, Port Hedland and Lake MacLeod. Salt is used by chemical and food companies and in the production of automotive, construction and electronic components.
Natural gypsum is sold into the wallboard, plaster, cement and agriculture markets of Asia and Australia.