Rio Tinto is diversifying its portfolio to support the energy transition, focusing on lithium projects and copper production. The company is targeting first production from its Fenix 1B and Sal de Vida lithium projects in the second half of 2026. Additionally, a new partnership with Prysmian aims to develop low-carbon aluminium cables specifically for the data centre market. This move targets the growing demand for sustainable materials in critical IT infrastructure.
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The shift to lithium and copper is the real story here. Iron ore is a legacy play. I wonder what the actual capacity factors look like for those new lithium sites once they hit production in 2026.
The low carbon aluminium play depends entirely on the procurement rules for data centres. If there is no regulatory mandate or tax credit for green aluminium, the premium might be too high for most operators.
Low carbon cables are a start, but the energy used in the smelting process is where the real battle is. Unless they move to fully renewable power for the smelters, the carbon footprint reduction is marginal.
Rio is trying to pivot away from being just an iron ore company. The lithium timeline is the key metric to watch. If they miss the H2 2026 window, they lose a lot of the momentum they are claiming.
