Rio Tinto said on Thursday it would supply copper that it leaches from an Arizona mine to Amazon.com for use in the tech giant’s artificial intelligence data centers.
The move underscores the rampant push by the AI industry for access to supplies of copper and other critical minerals that are used to build wiring, cables, circuit boards and other electronic parts.
AI sector growth is expected to boost global copper demand 50 per cent by 2040, although analysts have warned supplies could fall far short, sparking a rush to ensure access.
Under the two-year agreement, companies that build parts for Amazon Web Services will use copper produced by Rio’s Nuton leaching program from a mine owned by Gunnison Copper.
