RIO Boosts Copper Innovation With First Copper Output Using Nuton Tech

Rio Tinto Group RIO announced that it produced the first copper from the Johnson Camp mine in Arizona, leveraging its Nuton Technology. The successful deployment of Rio Tinto’s Nuton technology enables copper production that's cleaner, faster and more efficient at an industrial scale.

Details on Rio Tinto’s Nuton Technology

RIO’s Nuton modular system uses a combination of biology, chemistry, engineering and digital tools. This allows the technology’s rapid scaling and customization for different ore bodies, unlocking previously uneconomic resources. Nuton has the capability to move from concept to production in 18 months compared with the industry’s typical 18 years.

This innovative copper processing technology eliminates concentration, smelting and refining, shortening supply chains and producing copper cathode at the mine. The technology can also extend mine life and extract value from previously uneconomic ores. Rio Tinto expects Nuton’s environmental performance to exceed conventional copper processing technologies. It can work using up to 80% less water and up to 60% lower carbon emissions compared to traditional concentrator routes.

The successful deployment at the Johnson Camp mine involves designing and delivering a technology package for a heap leach pad, targeting around 30,000 tons of refined copper production within a four-year demo period. Employing Nuton, Rio Tinto aims to produce copper with the lowest carbon footprint in the United States at the Johnson Camp.

Rio Tinto will now focus on validating long-term technical performance using Nuton, including multi-year testing and independent third-party verification. The company will perform an internal review to keep consistent recovery rates and environmental performance in check.

Rio Tinto is partnering on projects in North and South America to assess deployment potential. The company is also working with U.S. customers to boost domestic copper supply.

RIO Stock's Price Performance

In the past year, shares of Rio Tinto have gained 26% compared with the industry’s 23.6% growth.

Rio Tinto’s Zacks Rank & Other Stocks to Consider

RIO currently carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).

Some other top-ranked stocks from the basic materials space are OR Royalties Inc. OR, Newmont Corporation NEM and Agnico Eagle Mines AEM. OR, NEM and AEM sport a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) at present. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

The consensus estimate for OR Royalties’ 2025 earnings is pegged at 82 cents per share. The estimate indicates year-over-year growth of 57.7%. OR Royalties’ shares have surged 80% in a year.

The consensus estimate for Newmont’s 2025 earnings is pegged at $6.05 per share. The estimate suggests year-over-year growth of 73.8%. It has an average trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 41.6%. Newmont’s shares have skyrocketed 124.4% in a year.

The consensus estimate for Agnico Eagle Mines’ 2025 earnings is pegged at $7.77 per share. The estimate implies year-over-year growth of 83.6%. It has an average trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 11.6%. Agnico Eagle Mines’ shares have soared 107.6% in a year.

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This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).

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