XML 108 R101.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT v3.8.0.1
Investments (Tables)
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2017
Disclosure Of Investments In Subsidiaries Joint Ventures And Associates [Abstract]  
Summary of principal in subsidiaries

At 31 December 2017

 

Company and country of incorporation/

operation

 

Principal activities

 

Class of shares

held

 

Proportion

of class

held (%)

 

 

Group

interest

(%)

 

 

Non-controlling

interest (%)

Australia

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Argyle Diamonds Limited

 

Mining and processing of diamonds

 

Ordinary

 

100

 

 

100

 

 

-

Dampier Salt Limited

 

Salt and gypsum

 

Ordinary

 

68.36

 

 

68.36

 

 

31.64

Energy Resources of Australia Limited

 

Uranium mining

 

Ordinary

 

68.39

 

 

68.39

 

 

31.61

Hamersley Iron Pty Limited

 

Iron ore mining

 

Ordinary

 

100

 

 

100

 

 

-

North Mining Limited (a)

 

Iron ore mining

 

Ordinary

 

100

 

 

100

 

 

-

Queensland Coal Pty Limited (b)

 

Coal mining

 

Ordinary

 

100

 

 

100

 

 

-

Rio Tinto Aluminium (Holdings) Limited

 

Bauxite mining; alumina production; primary aluminium smelting

 

Ordinary

 

100

 

 

100

 

 

-

Robe River Mining Co Pty Ltd (a)

 

Iron ore mining

 

Class A

 

40

 

60

 

 

40

 

 

 

 

Class B

 

76.36

 

 

 

 

 

Brazil

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Alcan Alumina Ltda. (c)

 

Alumina production and bauxite mining

 

Quota

 

100

 

 

100

 

 

-

Canada

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Iron Ore Company of Canada(d)

 

Iron ore mining; iron ore pellets

 

Common

 

58.72

 

 

58.72

 

 

41.28

Rio Tinto Fer et Titane Inc.

 

Titanium dioxide feedstock; high purity iron and steel

 

 

 

Common

 

100

 

 

100

 

 

-

 

 

 

Class B preference

 

100

 

 

100

 

 

-

 

 

 

CAD 0.01 preferred

 

100

 

 

100

 

 

-

Rio Tinto Alcan Inc.

 

Bauxite mining; alumina refining; aluminium smelting

 

Common

 

100

 

 

100

 

 

-

Diavik Diamond Mines (2012) Inc. (e)

 

Diamond mining and processing

 

Common

 

100

 

 

100

 

 

-

Guinea

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Simfer Jersey Limited (f)

 

Iron ore project

 

Ordinary

 

53

 

 

53

 

 

47

Madagascar

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

QIT Madagascar Minerals SA (g)

 

Ilmenite mining

 

Common

 

80

 

 

80

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Investment certificates

 

100

 

 

100

 

15

 

 

 

 

Voting certificates

 

80

 

 

80

 

 

20

Mongolia

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Turquoise Hill Resources Ltd (including Oyu Tolgoi LLC) (h)

 

Copper and gold mining

 

Common

 

50.79

 

 

50.79

 

 

49.21

Namibia

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rössing Uranium Limited (i)

 

Uranium mining

 

B N$1

 

71.22

 

 

68.62

 

 

31.38

 

 

 

 

C N10c

 

70.59

 

 

 

 

 

 

South Africa

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Richards Bay Titanium (Proprietary) Limited (j)

 

Titanium dioxide/high purity iron production

 

B Ordinary

 

100

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

B preference

 

100

 

74

 

 

26

 

 

 

 

Parent Preference

 

100

 

 

 

 

 

Richards Bay Mining (Proprietary) Limited (j)

 

Ilmenite, rutile and zircon mining

 

B Ordinary

 

100

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

B preference

 

100

 

74

 

 

26

 

 

 

 

Parent Preference

 

100

 

 

 

 

 

United States of America

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kennecott Holdings Corporation (including Kennecott Utah Copper, Kennecott Land and Kennecott Exploration)

 

Copper and gold mining, smelting and refining, land development and exploration activities

 

Common US$0.01

 

100

 

 

100

 

 

-

U.S. Borax Inc.

 

Mining, refining and marketing of borates

 

Common US$0.10

 

100

 

 

100

 

 

-

 

This list includes only those companies that have a more significant impact on the profit or assets of the Group. Refer to note 46 for a list of related undertakings.

The Group’s principal subsidiaries are mostly held by intermediate holding companies and not directly by Rio Tinto plc or Rio Tinto Limited.

(a)

Robe River Mining Co Pty Ltd (which is 60 per cent owned by the Group) holds a 30 per cent interest in Robe River Iron Associates (Robe River). North Mining Ltd (which is wholly owned by the Group) holds a 35 per cent interest in Robe River. Through these companies the Group recognises a 65 per cent share of the assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses of Robe River, with a 12 per cent non-controlling interest. The Group therefore has a 53 per cent beneficial interest in Robe River

(b)

Queensland Coal Pty Limited is the main legal entity that holds the Group’s interests in Hail Creek (82 per cent) and Kestrel (80 per cent). These are unincorporated arrangements that are not entities; the Group recognises its share of assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses relating to these arrangements. Queensland Coal forms part of the Rio Tinto Coal Australia business unit.

(c)

Alcan Alumina Ltda holds the Group’s 10 per cent interest in Consórcio De Alumínio Do Maranhão, a joint operation in which the Group participates but is not a joint operator. The Group recognises its share of assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses relating to this arrangement.

(d)

Iron Ore Company of Canada is incorporated in the United States of America, but operates in Canada.

(e)

Diavik Diamond Mines (2012) Inc. is the legal entity that owns the Group’s 60 per cent interest in the Diavik Joint Venture, an unincorporated arrangement that is not an entity. The Group recognises its share of assets, liabilities, revenue and expenses relating to this arrangement.

(f)

Simfer Jersey Limited, a company incorporated in Jersey in which the Group has a 53 per cent interest, has an 85 per cent interest in Simfer S.A. the company that operates the Simandou mining project in Guinea. The Group therefore has a 45.05 per cent indirect interest in Simfer S.A. These entities are consolidated as subsidiaries and together referred to as the Simandou iron ore project.

(g)

The Group’s shareholding in QIT Madagascar Minerals SA carries an 80 per cent economic interest and 80 per cent of the total voting rights; a further 5 per cent economic interest is held through non-voting investment certificates to give an economic interest of 85 per cent. The non-controlling interests have a 15 per cent economic interest and 20 per cent of the total voting rights.

(h)

The Group has a 50.79 per cent interest in Turquoise Hill Resources Ltd, which holds a 66 per cent interest in Oyu Tolgoi LLC (OT) which is subsidiary of Turquoise Hill Resources Ltd. The Group therefore has a 33.5 per cent indirect interest in OT. Turquoise Hill Resources Ltd is incorporated in Canada but operates principally in Mongolia.

(i)

The Group’s shareholding in Rössing Uranium Limited entitles it to 35.57 per cent of the total voting rights; the non-controlling interests hold 64.43 per cent of the total voting rights. Rössing is consolidated by virtue of the Group’s board control. The Government of Namibia has the ability to veto matters that are considered not to be in the interest of Namibia; this is considered to be a protective right. Rio Tinto therefore has control of Rössing and consolidates it as a subsidiary.

(j)

Additional classes of shares issued by Richards Bay Titanium (Proprietary) Limited and Richards Bay Mining (Proprietary) Limited representing non-controlling interests are not shown. The Group’s total legal and beneficial interest in Richards Bay Titanium (Proprietary) Limited and Richards Bay Mining (Proprietary) Limited is 74 per cent.

Rio Tinto plc [member]  
Disclosure Of Investments In Subsidiaries Joint Ventures And Associates [Abstract]  
Investments in Group companies

 

 

2017

US$m

2016

US$m

Investments in Group companies:

 

 

At 1 January

36,050

36,180

Additions

45

58

Disposals

-

(160)

Other adjustments

(2)

(28)

At 31 December

36,093

36,050

 

Summary of principal in subsidiaries

At 31 December 2017 the Company had the following principal subsidiaries:

 

Company

Principal activity

Country of

incorporation

Percentage

shareholding

Rio Tinto International Holdings Limited

Holding company

UK

100

Rio Tinto European Holdings Limited

Holding company

UK

100