Rio Tinto – Revisiting the Principles: A Decade of Corporate Responsibility Reviewed

This ECCR report analyses the social and environmental impacts of mining multinational Rio Tinto. Key issues include:

• Rio Tinto's environmental and social policies and approach to transparency
• the company’s joint venture Grasberg mine in West Papua, Indonesia, associated with problems of human rights, environmental impact and community relations
• Rio Tinto's response to the impact of HIV/AIDS in southern Africa
• human rights questions in relation to governments with which the company does business
• controls to ensure uranium mined in Namibia does not add to military capabilities

Case studies:

• Capper Pass smelter, UK
• Diavik diamond mine, Canada
• Eagle copper and nickel project, USA
• Jabiluka uranium mine, Australia
• Kelian gold mine, Indonesia
• ilmenite sand mining project, Madagascar
• Ranger uranium mine, Australia.

The company's interim written response to ECCR's findings is included. The report's analysis is based on the Bench Marks.

ECCR hopes the report will assist faith-based and other responsible investors, business commentators, campaigners and others in assessing the impacts of Rio Tinto's operations and of mining more broadly.

The report was cited in BBC News 24's interview with Rio Tinto chairman Paul Skinner in June 2007, when interviewer Stephen Sackur referred to ECCR's concerns about the frequent 'stark differences between the image portrayed by Rio Tinto's corporate literature and the views of community and environmental groups on the ground where they operate'.

Published 2006. Hard copy: ECCR members - £8 / €9 / $13. Non-members - £16 / €18 / $26. Order form.