Safety performance has taken centre stage in the latest results from Rio Tinto and Mineral Resources (MinRes), with both miners reporting strong financial outcomes alongside clear risk-mitigation efforts.
At Rio Tinto, chief executive officer Simon Trott said safety was the company’s “highest priority” following the death of a worker at the Simandou project earlier this month, with a full investigation into the incident well underway.
The company has also reported an all-injury frequency rate of 0.37 in 2025, consistent with 2024, and said it was “strengthening safety through front-line focus, simplification and accountability”.
These metrics form the backdrop to solid financial and operational results, as the underlying EBITDA increased nine per cent to $25.4 billion, with net cash generated from operating activities up eight per cent to $16.8 billion. Copper equivalent production rose eight per cent, driven by the ramp-up of the Oyu Tolgoi underground copper mine and record iron ore production from the Pilbara operations since April.
MinRes also placed safety at the forefront of its half-year results, reporting record revenue of $3.1 billion and EBITDA of $1.2 billion.
Its board chair, Malcolm Bundey, said it had been a “defining half operationally”.
“Onslow Iron has safely achieved nameplate capacity, with sustained performance demonstrating Mining Services’ innovative solutions and our team’s operational excellence,” he said.
“Our management team remains laser-focused on ensuring we safely and sustainably capture full value across all aspects of the supply chain. We continue to take a conservative approach to guidance at Onslow Iron, given the potential for seasonal weather disruptions – as evidenced by Tropical Cyclone Mitchell earlier this month, which, pleasingly, we safely navigated.”
Managing director Chris Ellison also pointed to the company’s response to the cyclone.
“Two MinRes Air flights evacuated our coastal teams and enabled a swift remobilisation when it was safe to do so,” Ellison said.
Alongside the safety outcomes, he emphasised that MinRes had delivered the strongest six-month period in the company’s history.
“The result – which was driven by operational performance rather than extraordinary commodity prices – validates the strategic decisions we’ve made over recent years and demonstrates the quality and resilience of our asset base,” Ellison said.
“Our near-term priorities are unchanged: operate safely, deliver on guidance, optimise existing assets and continue to strengthen the balance sheet.”
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