Mining Giants Leverage Muon Technology to Enhance Copper, Nickel, and Uranium Extraction Efficiency
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Jan 22 2026
0mins
Source: Fool
- Strategic Partnership: Rio Tinto's five-year agreement with Ideon Technologies to utilize muon imaging for developing 3D subsurface models is expected to significantly enhance resource exploration efficiency by accurately identifying copper and iron ore deposits.
- Safety Enhancements: Freeport-McMoRan's installation of muon detection technology at the Grasberg mine in Indonesia aims to verify site safety and prevent future incidents like the recent mud rush, thereby improving miner safety protocols.
- Leaching Technology Innovation: Rio Tinto's Nuton technology achieved its first copper production by late 2025, with muon technology enhancing the monitoring of leaching processes, thereby increasing the efficiency of bio-leaching and reducing project timelines from concept to production.
- Future Outlook: As the commercialization of muon technology accelerates, mining companies are expected to achieve more efficient resource exploration and extraction by 2026, promoting sustainable supply of key materials such as copper, nickel, and uranium.
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Analyst Views on RIO
Wall Street analysts forecast RIO stock price to fall
6 Analyst Rating
2 Buy
4 Hold
0 Sell
Moderate Buy
Current: 98.930
Low
68.00
Averages
83.70
High
129.50
Current: 98.930
Low
68.00
Averages
83.70
High
129.50
About RIO
Rio Tinto plc is a United Kingdom-based mining and materials company. It operates in over 35 countries, and its portfolio includes iron ore, copper, aluminum and a range of other minerals and materials. Its segments include Iron Ore, Aluminum, Copper, and Minerals. The Iron Ore segment includes iron ore mining and salt and gypsum production in Western Australia. Its iron ore operations in Pilbara comprise an integrated network of over 18 iron ore mines and four independent port terminals. The Aluminum segment includes bauxite mining, alumina refining, and aluminum smelting and recycling. The Copper segment includes mining and refining of copper, gold, silver, molybdenum, other by-products and licensing of extraction technologies. The Minerals segment includes mining and processing of borates, diamonds, iron concentrate and pellets from the Iron Ore Company of Canada, lithium and titanium dioxide feedstock.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
Rio Tinto Reports Strong Financial Growth in 2025
- Safety First: CEO Simon Trott emphasized that safety remains Rio Tinto's highest priority, as the company commits to thoroughly investigating the tragic death of a colleague at the Simandou project last weekend to enhance future safety measures.
- Production Growth: In 2025, Rio Tinto achieved an 8% increase in copper equivalent (CuEq) production, primarily driven by the ongoing ramp-up of the Oyu Tolgoi underground copper mine and record iron ore production from its Pilbara operations since April, showcasing the company's robust operational performance in resource extraction.
- Financial Performance: The company reported a 9% rise in underlying EBITDA to $25.4 billion for 2025, with operating cash flow reaching $16.8 billion, reflecting successful cost control and a diversified portfolio, which further solidifies its financial stability.
- Sustained Dividends: Rio Tinto maintained a 60% payout ratio with a $6.5 billion ordinary dividend, marking the tenth consecutive year at the top end of its dividend range, demonstrating the company's strong cash flow and solid balance sheet.
See More
Rio Tinto Acquires Majority Stake in Nemaska Lithium
- Majority Stake Acquisition: Rio Tinto's stock rose 2.9% on Wednesday after announcing it has taken a 53.9% stake in Nemaska Lithium, aiming to establish a fully integrated lithium supply chain from ore mining to chemical processing, with financial terms undisclosed.
- Provincial Government Investment: The Quebec provincial government owns 46.1% of Nemaska Lithium and plans to invest up to $200 million through share subscriptions, further supporting the company's growth initiatives.
- Future Investment Plans: Rio Tinto intends to invest over $300 million in 2026 to continue developing its lithium business in Quebec, including the Galaxy hard rock lithium project in the James Bay region, which is expected to have a lifespan of 15 to 20 years.
- Acquisition Context: Following its acquisition of Arcadium Lithium in March 2025, Rio Tinto secured a 50% interest in Nemaska, which includes a lithium hydroxide plant in Bécancour and the Whabouchi spodumene mine located in Quebec's Eeyou Istchee James Bay region.
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Rio Tinto Reports 14% Drop in FY 2025 Net Profit
- Net Profit Decline: Rio Tinto's FY 2025 net profit fell to $9.97 billion, a 14% decrease from $11.55 billion the previous year, indicating pressure in market competition, despite steady underlying earnings that fell short of the $11.03 billion analyst consensus.
- Dividend Steady: The company declared a flat dividend of $2.54 per share, with a payout ratio of 60% of underlying earnings, up from $2.25 in 2024, reflecting efforts to maintain shareholder returns, although the market response was lukewarm.
- Copper Business Growth: Rio's copper earnings doubled year-over-year to account for approximately 30% of total earnings, while iron ore earnings dropped to 60%, indicating a strategic shift towards the more promising copper market to meet future demand.
- Failed Acquisition Talks: Following unsuccessful merger discussions with Glencore, CEO Simon Trott emphasized that the company will continue to focus on its existing growth strategy, stating that acquisitions are not necessary for growth, and has allocated 85% of its exploration budget to copper projects, highlighting the importance of copper resources.
See More
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- Strategic Investment: Rio Tinto's equity investment partnership with the Government of Quebec involves over $300 million to Nemaska Lithium by 2026, alongside up to $200 million from Quebec, highlighting the project's strategic importance in expanding Rio Tinto's lithium business.
- Lithium Business Integration: The company plans to leverage its expertise in development, operations, and sales to construct an integrated lithium business in Quebec, which is expected to significantly enhance its competitive position in the market.
- Project Progress: The lithium hydroxide plant in Bécancour is 60% complete, and ongoing investments from Rio Tinto will accelerate construction and operational readiness to meet the growing demand for lithium products.
- Market Reaction: Despite significant investments in its lithium business, Rio Tinto's shares fell 3.20% in premarket trading due to weaker-than-expected full-year earnings, primarily impacted by declining iron ore prices, indicating market concerns about its overall performance.
See More
True Bottleneck of Copper Supply Crisis Revealed
- Supply Capacity Analysis: A study by Benchmark Mineral Intelligence indicates that the U.S. can meet 146% of its domestic copper demand, compared to just 40% for China, highlighting the U.S.'s relative advantage in raw material supply; however, the real bottleneck lies in insufficient smelting and refining capacity.
- Price Volatility Impact: Since October, London copper benchmark prices have surged approximately 40%, reaching a historic high of $14,000 per ton, reflecting market concerns over supply and demand, particularly against the backdrop of strong demand for electrification and clean energy technologies.
- Policy Challenges: Current policy efforts focus primarily on upstream supply and strategic stockpiles, yet the research suggests that expanding refining and scrap-processing capacity would more effectively enhance supply security, challenging traditional resource acquisition strategies.
- Profit Driver Factors: As copper prices rise, it is increasingly viewed as a key profit driver for diversified miners, especially as iron ore markets soften, with the Global X Copper Miners ETF (COPX) up 20.71% year-to-date, underscoring copper's growing importance in the mining sector.
See More
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- Earnings Beat: Rio Tinto's FY Non-GAAP EPS of $6.69 surpasses expectations by $0.04, indicating robust profitability despite market fluctuations.
- Significant Revenue Growth: The company reports annual revenue of $57.64 billion, a 7.4% year-over-year increase, exceeding market expectations by $1.33 billion, reflecting strong performance in the global mining sector.
- Strong Cash Flow: With operating cash flow of $16.8 billion, Rio Tinto demonstrates significant progress in cost management and efficiency improvements, enhancing its financial flexibility.
- Robust EBITDA: The underlying EBITDA stands at $25.4 billion, showcasing the profitability of its core operations, providing a solid foundation for future investments despite external challenges.
See More
Rio Tinto Reports Strong Financial Growth in 2025
- Safety First: CEO Simon Trott emphasized that safety remains Rio Tinto's highest priority, as the company commits to thoroughly investigating the tragic death of a colleague at the Simandou project last weekend to enhance future safety measures.
- Production Growth: In 2025, Rio Tinto achieved an 8% increase in copper equivalent (CuEq) production, primarily driven by the ongoing ramp-up of the Oyu Tolgoi underground copper mine and record iron ore production from its Pilbara operations since April, showcasing the company's robust operational performance in resource extraction.
- Financial Performance: The company reported a 9% rise in underlying EBITDA to $25.4 billion for 2025, with operating cash flow reaching $16.8 billion, reflecting successful cost control and a diversified portfolio, which further solidifies its financial stability.
- Sustained Dividends: Rio Tinto maintained a 60% payout ratio with a $6.5 billion ordinary dividend, marking the tenth consecutive year at the top end of its dividend range, demonstrating the company's strong cash flow and solid balance sheet.
See More
Rio Tinto Acquires Majority Stake in Nemaska Lithium
- Majority Stake Acquisition: Rio Tinto's stock rose 2.9% on Wednesday after announcing it has taken a 53.9% stake in Nemaska Lithium, aiming to establish a fully integrated lithium supply chain from ore mining to chemical processing, with financial terms undisclosed.
- Provincial Government Investment: The Quebec provincial government owns 46.1% of Nemaska Lithium and plans to invest up to $200 million through share subscriptions, further supporting the company's growth initiatives.
- Future Investment Plans: Rio Tinto intends to invest over $300 million in 2026 to continue developing its lithium business in Quebec, including the Galaxy hard rock lithium project in the James Bay region, which is expected to have a lifespan of 15 to 20 years.
- Acquisition Context: Following its acquisition of Arcadium Lithium in March 2025, Rio Tinto secured a 50% interest in Nemaska, which includes a lithium hydroxide plant in Bécancour and the Whabouchi spodumene mine located in Quebec's Eeyou Istchee James Bay region.
See More
Rio Tinto Reports 14% Drop in FY 2025 Net Profit
- Net Profit Decline: Rio Tinto's FY 2025 net profit fell to $9.97 billion, a 14% decrease from $11.55 billion the previous year, indicating pressure in market competition, despite steady underlying earnings that fell short of the $11.03 billion analyst consensus.
- Dividend Steady: The company declared a flat dividend of $2.54 per share, with a payout ratio of 60% of underlying earnings, up from $2.25 in 2024, reflecting efforts to maintain shareholder returns, although the market response was lukewarm.
- Copper Business Growth: Rio's copper earnings doubled year-over-year to account for approximately 30% of total earnings, while iron ore earnings dropped to 60%, indicating a strategic shift towards the more promising copper market to meet future demand.
- Failed Acquisition Talks: Following unsuccessful merger discussions with Glencore, CEO Simon Trott emphasized that the company will continue to focus on its existing growth strategy, stating that acquisitions are not necessary for growth, and has allocated 85% of its exploration budget to copper projects, highlighting the importance of copper resources.
See More
Rio Tinto Acquires Nemaska Lithium to Strengthen Lithium Operations
- Strategic Investment: Rio Tinto's equity investment partnership with the Government of Quebec involves over $300 million to Nemaska Lithium by 2026, alongside up to $200 million from Quebec, highlighting the project's strategic importance in expanding Rio Tinto's lithium business.
- Lithium Business Integration: The company plans to leverage its expertise in development, operations, and sales to construct an integrated lithium business in Quebec, which is expected to significantly enhance its competitive position in the market.
- Project Progress: The lithium hydroxide plant in Bécancour is 60% complete, and ongoing investments from Rio Tinto will accelerate construction and operational readiness to meet the growing demand for lithium products.
- Market Reaction: Despite significant investments in its lithium business, Rio Tinto's shares fell 3.20% in premarket trading due to weaker-than-expected full-year earnings, primarily impacted by declining iron ore prices, indicating market concerns about its overall performance.
See More
True Bottleneck of Copper Supply Crisis Revealed
- Supply Capacity Analysis: A study by Benchmark Mineral Intelligence indicates that the U.S. can meet 146% of its domestic copper demand, compared to just 40% for China, highlighting the U.S.'s relative advantage in raw material supply; however, the real bottleneck lies in insufficient smelting and refining capacity.
- Price Volatility Impact: Since October, London copper benchmark prices have surged approximately 40%, reaching a historic high of $14,000 per ton, reflecting market concerns over supply and demand, particularly against the backdrop of strong demand for electrification and clean energy technologies.
- Policy Challenges: Current policy efforts focus primarily on upstream supply and strategic stockpiles, yet the research suggests that expanding refining and scrap-processing capacity would more effectively enhance supply security, challenging traditional resource acquisition strategies.
- Profit Driver Factors: As copper prices rise, it is increasingly viewed as a key profit driver for diversified miners, especially as iron ore markets soften, with the Global X Copper Miners ETF (COPX) up 20.71% year-to-date, underscoring copper's growing importance in the mining sector.
See More
Rio Tinto Reports Strong FY Results Exceeding Expectations
- Earnings Beat: Rio Tinto's FY Non-GAAP EPS of $6.69 surpasses expectations by $0.04, indicating robust profitability despite market fluctuations.
- Significant Revenue Growth: The company reports annual revenue of $57.64 billion, a 7.4% year-over-year increase, exceeding market expectations by $1.33 billion, reflecting strong performance in the global mining sector.
- Strong Cash Flow: With operating cash flow of $16.8 billion, Rio Tinto demonstrates significant progress in cost management and efficiency improvements, enhancing its financial flexibility.
- Robust EBITDA: The underlying EBITDA stands at $25.4 billion, showcasing the profitability of its core operations, providing a solid foundation for future investments despite external challenges.
See More
