Rio Tinto reveals $71.5B in global taxes over a decade—Australia leads

How one mining giant reshaped corporate accountability. From COVID resilience to record payments, Rio Tinto's latest report exposes the numbers behind its global impact.

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2026 March 22 . 1:19 AM

1 min read

The image shows a graph depicting the lost revenue by extent of global economic losses. The graph... — The image shows a graph depicting the lost revenue by extent of global economic losses. The graph is accompanied by text that provides further details about the data.

Rio Tinto reveals $71.5B in global taxes over a decade—Australia leads

Rio Tinto has released its latest financial transparency report, detailing decades of payments to governments worldwide. The mining giant became the first in its sector to voluntarily publish such figures. Its 2020 economic impact alone reached $47 billion, with taxes and royalties accounting for $8.4 billion of that total.

Over the past ten years, Rio Tinto has paid $71.5 billion in taxes and royalties globally. Australia received the largest share, with $54.4 billion, including $6.8 billion in 2020 alone. Other major recipients included Canada ($651 million in 2020), Mongolia ($277 million), and Chile ($246 million). Payments were also made to the UK ($132 million), the US ($111 million), and South Africa ($61 million).

The company's total direct economic contribution since 2016 now stands at $220 billion. Despite disruptions from COVID-19, its 2020 contribution grew from $45.1 billion in 2019. Interim CFO Peter Cunningham credited this resilience to the dedication and adaptability of employees.

Rio Tinto has long championed financial openness. It co-founded the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative and supports the B Team Tax Principles. While its German operations remain minimal, the company's global tax payments reached AUD 15.1 billion in 2023, with Australia's share rising from AUD 2.9 billion in 2016 to AUD 5.1 billion last year.

The report confirms Rio Tinto's position as a leader in tax transparency within the resources sector. Its decade-long payments highlight Australia as the primary beneficiary, followed by other key mining regions. The company's voluntary disclosures continue to set a benchmark for corporate accountability in the industry.