Rio Tinto has expanded solar power capacity at its Kennecott copper operations in Utah, U.S. with a new 25-megawatt solar plant.
The new solar plant showcases what Rio Tinto describes as a circular critical-minerals supply chain in which tellurium produced at the site is used to manufacture the panels now powering it.
Rio Tinto’s Kennecott copper operations now has 30MW of solar capacity, enough to power approximately 1,026 average American homes annually.
The solar energy also reduces Kennecott’s Scope 2 emissions by about 6 per cent or 20,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide, which is equivalent to removing 4,400 cars from the road each year.
Nate Foster, Managing Director of Rio Tinto Kennecott, said: “This new solar plant is more than a source of renewable power for our operations; it’s a demonstration of circularity and supply chain resilience.
“By mining copper and tellurium, both classified as critical minerals in the United States, here at Kennecott and using that tellurium in the panels powering our site, we’re proving how domestic critical minerals support renewable energy manufacturing.
“This approach strengthens North America’s supply chain for essential resources, supports national energy security, and reinforces our commitment to a low-carbon future.”
Kennecott began producing tellurium in 2022 as a by-product of copper refining, making it one of only two U.S. producers of this critical mineral.
Tellurium from Kennecott is converted into thin-film semiconductor materials by 5N Plus Inc. in Canada and then supplied primarily to First Solar for the manufacturing of the photovoltaic panels now installed at Kennecott.
Gervais Jacques, CEO of 5N Plus, said: “Our partnership with Rio Tinto helps deliver industry-leading products that support the clean energy transition and advance national energy security.
“At a time when the security of critical minerals supply chains is under intense scrutiny, we’re pleased to reinforce our position as a trusted partner to deliver the advanced materials this critical and growing sector depends on.”