Copper is a vital input for our national defense. It’s used in naval vessels, Coast Guard ships and Air Force aircrafts. It’s a tough yet malleable metal, and its widespread use is a testament to its value. In order to properly support our troops, we need copper supply here in the U.S. Fortunately, there are a number of copper producers within the U.S., including Rio Tinto.
Rio Tinto’s Kennecott mine is a world-class, integrated copper mining operation that can be found just outside Salt Lake City, Utah. In addition to copper, Kennecott produces gold and silver as bi-products, both of which also have defense uses. The operation has been in use since 1903 and produced 140,000 tons of copper in 2020. As a top producing mine which also includes its own concentrator, smelter and refinery, Kennecott is a valuable resource in our defense supply chains.