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   AWS signs mega deal with Rio Tinto for the first new copper mine in the US    
   for years - here's what it could do with that windfall   
      
   Date:   
   Tue, 20 Jan 2026 20:50:00 +0000   
      
   Description:   
   Amazons Arizona copper deal reveals domestic supply ambitions and how limited   
   mining output remains against expanding AI data center demand.   
      
   FULL STORY   
      
   As global copper demand continues to rise , Amazon Web Services has agreed to   
   source newly mined copper from Rio Tintos operations in Arizona, marking the   
   first domestic copper supply in more than a decade.    
      
   The material will come primarily from the Johnson Camp mine, which has   
   restarted as a proving ground for Rio Tintos Nuton bioleaching process.    
      
   The agreement links copper output directly to US data center construction,   
   where demand has risen sharply due to expanding compute infrastructure.   
      
   Nuton technology and digital oversight   
      
   Each hyperscale facility requires very large copper volumes, which raises   
   questions about how much impact a single mine can realistically have.    
   Nuton relies on naturally occurring microorganisms to extract copper from   
   primary sulfide ores, avoiding several stages common in conventional   
   processing.    
      
   The method produces a copper cathode at the mine site, which reduces reliance   
   on concentrators, smelters, and refineries.  AWS infrastructure supports   
   simulations of heap leach behavior and feeds analytics into operational   
   decisions.   
      
   These systems resemble those used to manage AI tools in large software   
   environments, although their effectiveness depends on the quality and   
   stability of geological input data rather than model sophistication alone.    
      
   Rio Tinto claims Nuton uses less water and generates lower carbon emissions   
   than standard concentrator routes, while enabling recovery from ore    
   previously classed as waste. The process reportedly delivers 99.99% pure   
   copper cathode, which simplifies downstream logistics.   
      
   However, published projections indicate that only part of the total copper   
   delivered under the deal will come from this method.    
      
   Additional tonnage will be supplied through conventional run-of-mine    
   leaching, which reduces the overall environmental benefit claimed for the   
   collaboration.    
      
   Over the next four years, Rio Tinto will produce around 14,000 metric tonnes   
   of Nuton copper, with delivery nearing 30,000 tonnes once it includes   
   conventional leaching.    
      
   A single large data center can consume tens of thousands of tonnes on its    
   own, which shows that the agreement covers only a small fraction of AWS   
   demand.    
      
   Beyond physical supply, the deal gives AWS an early foothold in upstream   
   materials tied to AI-driven infrastructure growth.    
      
   Copper remains essential for building the electrical systems that power data   
   centers, which makes availability a practical constraint on large-scale AI   
   deployments, including LLMs .    
      
   "Amazons Climate Pledge goal to reach net zero carbon by 2040 requires us to   
   innovate across every part of our operations, including how we source the   
   materials that power our infrastructure," said Amazons Chief Sustainability   
   Officer, Kara Hurst.    
      
   "This collaboration with Nuton Technology represents exactly the kind of   
   breakthrough we needa fundamentally different approach to copper production   
   that helps reduce carbon emissions and water use. As we continue to invest in   
   next-generation carbon-free energy technology and expand our data center   
   operations, securing access to lower-carbon materials produced close to home   
   strengthens both our supply chain resilience and our ability to decarbonize    
   at scale.    
      
   ======================================================================   
   Link to news story:   
   https://www.techradar.com/pro/aws-signs-mega-deal-with-rio-tinto-for-the-first   
   -new-copper-mine-in-the-us-for-years-heres-what-it-could-do-with-that-windfall   
      
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