Principal joint operations

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2021

Disclosure of joint operations [abstract]

33 Principal joint operations

At 31 December 2021


Company and country of incorporation/operation	Principal activities	Group interest (%)
Australia
Tomago Aluminium Joint Venture	Aluminium smelting	51.6
Gladstone Power Station	Power generation	42.1
Hope Downs Joint Venture	Iron ore mining	50
Queensland Alumina Limited(a)(b)	Alumina production	80
Pilbara Iron Arrangements	Infrastructure, corporate and mining services	(c)
New Zealand
New Zealand Aluminium Smelters Limited(a)(b)	Aluminium smelting	79.4
Canada
Aluminerie Alouette Inc.	Aluminium production	40
US
Pechiney Reynolds Quebec Inc(b)(d)	Aluminium smelting	50.2

This list includes only those joint operations that have a more significant impact on the profit or operating assets of the Group. Refer to note 44 for a list of related undertakings.

The Group’s joint operations are held by intermediate holding companies and not directly by Rio Tinto plc or Rio Tinto Limited.

(a)Although the Group has a 79.4% interest in New Zealand Aluminium Smelters Limited and an 80% interest in Queensland Alumina Limited, decisions about activities that significantly affect the returns that are generated require agreement of both parties to the arrangements, giving rise to joint control.

(b)Queensland Alumina Limited, New Zealand Aluminium Smelters Limited and Pechiney Reynolds Quebec Inc. are joint arrangements that are primarily designed for the provision of output to the parties sharing joint control; this indicates that the parties have rights to substantially all the economic benefits of the assets. The liabilities of the arrangements are in substance satisfied by cash flows received from the parties; this dependence indicates that the parties in effect have obligations for the liabilities. It is these facts and circumstances that give rise to the classification of these entities as joint operations.

(c)A number of arrangements are in place between the Australian Iron Ore operations managed by Rio Tinto which allow their respective assets to be operated as a single integrated network across the Pilbara region. The arrangements are managed through two wholly owned subsidiaries: Pilbara Iron (Company) Services Pty Ltd and Pilbara Iron Pty Ltd. In assessing the Pilbara Iron Arrangements, it has been concluded that they collectively constitute a joint operation on the basis that decisions about relevant activities require unanimous consent. The resulting efficiencies are shared between Rio Tinto and Robe River Iron Associates (Robe River), and the parties fund all of the cash flow requirements of Pilbara Iron (Company) Services Pty Ltd and Pilbara Iron Pty Ltd.

(d)Pechiney Reynolds Quebec Inc. has a 50.1% interest in the Aluminerie de Bécancour, Inc. aluminium smelter, which is located in Canada. As Rio Tinto owns 50.2% of Pechiney Reynolds Quebec Inc our effective ownership of the Becancour smelter is 25.1%.