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Rio Tinto Gains Majority Stake in Ivanhoe Mines

By Joel ScanlonJan 26 2012

Rio Tinto has gained the majority stake in Ivanhoe Mines. This will give it better control over the development of gold and copper deposits in Mongolia. The control of the Oyu Tolgoi project has been a bone of contention between the two companies for a long while now.

By buying the additional two percent stake Rio Tinto now owns 51% of the Canadian mining group. It bought 15.1 million shares of Ivanhoe for Canadian $302 million. This move will hopefully put an end to the long running conflict that the two had over the development of the Oyu Tolgoi project. The two companies had first come together in October 2006 when Ivanhoe needed capital and local political support in Mongolia.

The investment in the Oyu Tolgoi project is the largest that Mongolia has seen in two decades. The construction of the mine at the property gave jobs to 9,000 Mongolian workers. It is deemed to be 70% complete by Rio Tinto.

The multi billion dollar Oyu Tolgoi gold and copper project is owned two third by Ivanhoe and the Mongolian government holds the rest of the stake. The first sale of copper produced from the mine is likely to take place in the beginning half of 2013. It is believed that Rio Tinto will sell off the subsidiaries of Ivanhoe and make a bid for the company before that comes to pass.

Written by

Joel Scanlon

Joel relocated to Australia in 1995 from the United Kingdom and spent five years working in the mining industry as an exploration geotechnician. His role involved utilizing GIS mapping and CAD software. Upon transitioning to the North Coast of NSW, Australia, Joel embarked on a career as a graphic designer at a well-known consultancy firm. Subsequently, he established a successful web services business catering to companies across the eastern seaboard of Australia. It was during this time that he conceived and launched News-Medical.Net. Joel has been an integral part of AZoNetwork since its inception in 2000. Joel possesses a keen interest in exploring the boundaries of technology, comprehending its potential impact on society, and actively engaging with AI-driven solutions and advancements.

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APA
Scanlon, Joel. (2019, March 19). Rio Tinto Gains Majority Stake in Ivanhoe Mines. AZoMining. Retrieved on June 23, 2025 from https://www.azomining.com/News.aspx?newsID=5832.
MLA
Scanlon, Joel. "Rio Tinto Gains Majority Stake in Ivanhoe Mines". AZoMining. 23 June 2025. <https://www.azomining.com/News.aspx?newsID=5832>.
Chicago
Scanlon, Joel. "Rio Tinto Gains Majority Stake in Ivanhoe Mines". AZoMining. https://www.azomining.com/News.aspx?newsID=5832. (accessed June 23, 2025).
Harvard
Scanlon, Joel. 2019. Rio Tinto Gains Majority Stake in Ivanhoe Mines. AZoMining, viewed 23 June 2025, https://www.azomining.com/News.aspx?newsID=5832.