Rio Tinto reported a strong recovery in bauxite production during the second quarter of 2026, while maintaining its full-year production guidance across its aluminium business.
The company produced 15.2 million tonnes of bauxite during the second quarter, up 14 per cent from the previous quarter but 3 per cent lower than the same period last year. For the first half of 2026, bauxite production totalled 28.5 million tonnes, a 7 per cent decline year-on-year. Rio Tinto maintained its full-year bauxite production guidance at 58-61 million tonnes.
Chief Executive Simon Trott said the company’s integrated aluminium business continued to perform strongly, supported by a recovery in bauxite production despite ongoing geopolitical uncertainty.
Alumina production reached 2.0 million tonnes in the second quarter, an increase of 10 per cent compared with the second quarter of 2025, although it was 2 per cent lower than the previous quarter. First-half alumina production rose 8 per cent year-on-year to 4.0 million tonnes. Rio Tinto retained its full-year alumina production guidance of 7.6-8.0 million tonnes.
Primary aluminium production remained steady at 0.84 million tonnes during the quarter, unchanged from a year earlier and 1 per cent higher than the first quarter. First-half production stood at 1.68 million tonnes, in line with the same period of 2025. The company’s 2026 production guidance remains 3.25-3.45 million tonnes.
Across its broader operations, Rio Tinto reported a 3 per cent year-on-year increase in copper equivalent production during the first half of 2026. Copper production at the Oyu Tolgoi mine increased 31 per cent as the underground operation continued to ramp up, while the company’s copper C1 net unit cost guidance was lowered to US 30-50 cents per pound from US 65-75 cents per pound.