Rio Tinto

Rio Tinto is a multinational mining and resources group founded originally in 1873. The group is one of the world's largest mining companies, with a pre-tax profit of approximately US$10.2 billion in 2006 on consolidated turnover of $25.4 billion. It is the largest coal mining company in the world.

Since 1995, Rio Tinto has been a dual-listed company. Rio Tinto Limited, formerly known as CRA, is listed on the Australian Securities Exchange, with Rio Tinto plc (formerly RTZ) listed on the London Stock Exchange as well as New York Stock Exchange (under ticker RTP). The two companies are managed as a single economic unit by a unified board, with a share in either company entitling the owner to the same voting rights and dividend payouts. RTZ shareholders made up 76.7 percent of the new unified entity, which is primarily managed from London. Its current chief executive is Tom Albanese and the company board is chaired by Paul Skinner.

History

The origins of Rio Tinto (Spanish for [Dark Red River) are in southern Spain, at the site of an ancient mine which supplied the Phoenicians, Ancient Greeks, Carthaginians and the Roman Empire. In 1873 N M Rothschild & Sons of London and de Rothschild Frères of Paris joined with other investors to acquire the Spanish government's money-losing Rio Tinto mines. The new owners restructured the company and turned it into a profitable business. By 1905, the Rothschild interest in Rio Tinto amounted to more than 30 percent. Alfred Milner, 1st Viscount Milner served as chairmen for a period before World War One.

In 1962 the (British) Rio Tinto Company acquired a majority stake in Consolidated Zinc, an Australian company, and was renamed the Rio Tinto-Zinc Corporation (RTZ). The Australian company was renamed Conzinc Riotinto of Australia (CRA) but retained a separate corporate identity, with an increasing proportion of its shares being held by the Australian public. The current dual listed company structure was created in 1995.