copper

Over the past decade, Xstrata PLC has used a series of aggressive mergers to grow from an obscure investment vehicle into one of the planet’s largest mining groups, with operations on six continents. Based in Switzerland and listed on the London and Zurich stock exchanges, it is one of the top producers of resources such as chrome, coal, copper, nickel and zinc. Following in the footsteps of older mining giants such as Rio Tinto and BHP Billiton, Xstrata has become embroiled in controversies over its labor, environmental and human rights practices.

BHP Billiton, known traditionally as Big Australian, is now the largest diversified resource company in the world. Its dual headquarters and dual stock listings in Britain and Australia reflect the fact that the business is the result of the 2001 merger of BHP (formerly Broken Hill Proprietary, a mining giant in Australia) and Billiton of South Africa. Aside from its extensive extractive operations in its home countries, the company is also active in places such as Chile (copper), Colombia (coal and nickel) and Canada (diamonds).

Rio Tinto, one of the largest mining companies in the world, started out as a copper operation in Spain but now has operations on six continents, with the largest presences in Australia and North America. Its products include aluminum, copper, diamonds, coal, uranium, gold, iron ore and industrial minerals (borates, titanium dioxide, salt and talc). Rio Tinto, which has dual headquarters in London and Melbourne, is one of the most controversial corporations in a controversial industry.