2018 Annualreport
Rio Tinto Annual report 2018 Contents Strategic report Strategic
Strategic Our business Business reviews report 2018 at a glance 4 Iron Ore 34 Chairman’s statement 6 Aluminium 38 Chief executive’s statement 8 Copper & Diamonds 42 Market context: Energy & Minerals 46 Our business in a transforming world 10 Growth & Innovation 50 Strategic realities 12 Commercial 51 Business model and strategy: The way we work 14 Sustainable development 52 Our strategy in action 18 Risk report Our year Risk management 64 Key performance indicators 20 Principal risks and uncertainties 67 Chief financial officer’s statement 24 Financial review 26 Five-year review 73 Portfolio management 32
Directors’ report Governance Remuneration Report Board of directors 76 Annual statement by the Executive Committee 78 Remuneration Committee chairman 101 Chairman’s governance review 80 Remuneration at a glance 104 The board in action 82 Remuneration policy extracts 106 Matters discussed in 2018 83 Implementation report 113 2018 highlights 84 Evaluating our performance 86 Additional statutory disclosure 137 Nominations Committee report 88 Audit Committee report 90 Sustainability Committee report 95 Compliance with governance codes and standards 97
Financial Group income statement 144 Australian Corporations Act – statements Group statement of comprehensive income 145 summary of ASIC relief 252 Group cash flow statement 146 Directors’ declaration 253 Group balance sheet 147 Auditor’s independence declaration 254 Group statement of changes in equity 148 Independent auditors’ report 255 Notes to the 2018 financial statements 150 Financial summary 2009-18 264 Rio Tinto plc company balance sheet 244 Summary financial data 265 Rio Tinto plc company statement of changes in equity 245 Rio Tinto financial information by business unit 249
Production, Metals and minerals production 268 reserves Ore reserves 271 Mineral resources 275 and operations Competent Persons 280 Mines and production facilities 282
Additional Independent limited assurance information report – Sustainable Development 290 Shareholder information: 292 UK Listing Rules cross reference table 298 Financial calendar 298 Contact details 299 Cautionary statement about forward-looking statements 300
Reporting currency: We report in US dollars unless otherwise stated. Where specified, A$ refers to Australian dollars and C$ refers to Canadian dollars.
Annual report 2018 | riotinto.com 1 As pioneers in mining and metals, we produce materials essential to human progress Our strategy is to create superior value for shareholders by meeting our customers’ needs, maximising cash from our world-class assets and allocating capital with discipline.
2018 $11.8 billion $5.4 billion in cash from operations of capital expenditure $8.6 billion $4.1 billion in cash from divestments reduction in net debt $13.5 billion $42.8 billion of cash returns declared direct economic contribution to shareholders 2018 milestones March Our business in Australia is certified by the White Ribbon Campaign for our work to eradicate domestic violence Read more on page 55
April We become the world’s first company to have our aluminium certified responsible by the Aluminium Stewardship Initiative (ASI) Read more on page 39
May We launch Elysis, our joint venture with Alcoa, supported by Apple and the governments of Canada and Quebec, to further develop aluminium smelting technology with no direct greenhouse gas emissions Read more on page 62
July Our AutoHaul™ driverless train makes its first full run, carrying 28,000 tonnes of iron ore over 280 kilometres from mine to port in Western Australia, remotely monitored from our operations centre in Perth Read more on page 75
August/September We complete the sales of the last of our coal assets in Australia and subsequently announce an additional $3.2 billion share buy-back programme Read more on page 47
October We announce the creation of our Rio Tinto 4.0 Pioneer Lab concept, to be based in Brisbane, Australia Read more on page 19
November Nespresso chooses our ASI-certified responsible aluminium for their coffee pods Read more on page 39
December We complete the sale of our interest in the Grasberg mine in Indonesia for $3.5 billion Read more on page 44 Strategic report
Our business 2018 at a glance 4 Chairman’s statement 6 Chief executive’s statement 8 Market context: Our business in a transforming world 10 Strategic realities 12 Business model and strategy: The way we work 14 Our strategy in action 18
Our year Key performance indicators 20 Chief financial officer’s statement 24 Financial review 26 Portfolio management 32
Business reviews Iron Ore 34 Aluminium 38 Copper & Diamonds 42 Energy & Minerals 46 Growth & Innovation 50 Commercial 51
Sustainable development 52
Risk report Risk management 64 Principal risks and uncertainties 67
Five-year review 73
2 Annual report 2018 | riotinto.com In the Dampier Archipelago report Strategic in Western Australia, we are privileged to work alongside the densest concentration of rock engravings anywhere in the world.
This art is of huge significance to both the local Traditional custodians and all Australians. I’m lucky to have been given the opportunity to spend time recording rock art in this magnificent outdoor gallery with Traditional custodians. And I’m proud to work for a company that values cultural heritage and has passionate people committed to our business, the rock art and our community partners.”
Victoria Anderson More than Rio Tinto cultural heritage adviser 32,000 rock art motifs recorded as part of two Conservation Agreement projects in Western Australia
Annual report 2018 | riotinto.com 3 Strategic report 2018 at a glance
Our business comprises a portfolio of world-class Fe assets that generate strong Iron Ore Iron ore is the primary component of steel. In the Pilbara region of Western Australia, cash flows through the cycle.” we own a world-class, integrated portfolio of iron ore assets; we are one of the leading contributors to the seaborne market. Our quality product suite, including our flagship Pilbara Blend™, is well positioned to benefit from continued demand across China, Japan and other markets.
$11.8bn 2.4mt $18.5bn • net cash generated from operating activities reduction in greenhouse gas emissions gross revenue (2017: $13.9bn) (2017: 1.4mt) (2017: $18.3bn) $11.3bn $18.1bn 0.44 underlying EBITDA• (2017: $11.5bn) underlying EBITDA•with a 42% margin all injury frequency rate (AIFR) (2017: $18.6bn) (2017: 0.42) 337.8mt produced 33.4% (2017: 329.8mt) total shareholder return (% over five years) (2017: 5.8%)
Consolidated sales revenue by destination Managed operations Our key assets are located in close proximity to countries experiencing economic growth and urbanisation. 16 1,700km mines integrated rail network apa