Rio Tinto, Glencore Resume Talks to Form World’s Largest Mining Company

Initial negotiations collapsed just over a year ago, but both companies have confirmed the merger is back under discussion.

Mining giant Rio Tinto's corporate office in Perth, Australia on Sept. 20, 2025. Wade Zhong/The Epoch Times

Swiss mining company Glencore and Australia’s Rio Tinto are once again in discussions that, if successful, would result in the merger of the two companies and the formation of the world’s largest miner.

Currently, that title is held by another Australian firm, BHP, with a market capitalisation of $161 billion (US$107.79 billion), but a combined Rio Tinto ($142 billion) and Glencore ($65 billion) merger would create an even larger entity.