Rio Tinto has released a report detailing $US8.4 billion ($13.33 billion) of global tax and royalty payments in 2024.
From this figure, $US6.3 billion was injected into Australia, including a corporate tax of $US3.7 billion.
Rio also paid tax and royalties of $US615 million to Chile, $US500 million to Canada, $US482 million to Mongolia and $US136 million to the US.
The company continues to be one of Australia’s economic backbones; however, the tax paid marks a drop from the 2023 amount of $US8.5 billion.
Rio Tinto chief financial officer Peter Cunningham said the company’s tax contribution is vital in supporting the communities where Rio operates.
“We seek to operate responsibly everywhere we work, and the taxes and royalties we pay to governments play a critical role in supporting the economic health and development of the regions where we operate,” he said.
“Our economic contribution can be significant for national budgets and local development priorities such as job creation and skills training for the countries where we do business. And our voluntary social investment delivers further value to communities, allowing them to invest in their own social and economic development for years to come.
“Our commitment to safely and sustainably access the world’s essential materials underpins everything we do. We strive to operate responsibly at every stage of our business, and to continue to work to find better ways to support the communities in which we operate.”
In the last decade, Rio Tinto has paid $US77.3 billion in taxes and royalties across the world with Australia seeing almost 80 per cent of the total.