Rio Tinto$RIO (+0.15%)
$RIO (+1.6%) intends to sell its boron assets in California as part of the group's ongoing efforts to simplify its operating model, according to Bloomberg.

On Wednesday, the media outlet reported that the Australian mining company will sell all of its US boron assets, including a mine and processing operations in the Mojave Desert town named after the element.

Rio's refinery and shipping facility at the Port of Los Angeles and its mining operation at Owens Lake near the Sierra Nevada will also be sold.

Together, these Californian assets cover around 30% of global demand for boron, according to the company's website.

Boron is currently used in a variety of industrial applications, including fertilizer, glass and ceramic manufacturing, fiberglass insulation and metal alloy reinforcement.

The United States, which has already established itself as a leading producer, recently added boron to its latest list of critical minerals, citing its key role in economic and national security-related products such as permanent rare earth magnets.

》Valued at 2 billion dollars《

Rio's boron mine in California was already in operation before it was acquired in 1967. Now, in its 100th year of operation, it has become one of the world's leading producers of borates and boron chemicals. The reserves of the deposit are sufficient to maintain production until the early 2040s.

The sale of the boron mine reflects Rio's strategy to simplify its operating structure under new CEO Simon Trott. Since taking office three months ago, Trott has restructured the group into three divisions and ordered a review of the minerals division, which includes borates. The company currently generates almost all of its profits from iron ore, copper and aluminum.

Rio has hired two major banks - UBS Group AG and JPMorgan Chase - to advise on the sale process, which is expected to begin in the next two weeks, according to Bloomberg. Rio could fetch as much as $2 billion for its boron assets, with private equity firms or chemical producers the most likely bidders.

Good evening, Grüezi mitenand & Glück auf !

I've had my securities account with Swissquote for about 3 months now & I'd be interested to hear what you have to say.

First of all: I simply sold everything at TR in Germany & then made a fresh start here in Switzerland.

I started with 10x $VWRL (-0.06%) as a foundation stone. Since then, I've been adding CHF 300 per month - but the plan is to increase this savings plan to at least CHF 500 per month at first & later to CHF 800 & CHF 1000. Then I looked at what else I would like to have in my portfolio (again).

The results are as follows:

8 x $AD (-0.03%) Ahold Delhaize

6 x $BATS (-0.35%) British American Tobacco

1 x $CRM (+0.73%) Salesforce

10 x $EQNR (+0.38%) Equinor

10 x $HTGC (+1.08%) Hercules Capital

300 CHF $LISN (+0.63%) Lindt & Sprüngli

7 x $MAIN (+0.25%) Main Street Capital

1 x $MCD (-1.23%) McDonalds

6 x $MDLZ (-1.81%) Mondelez

6 x $NOVO B (-1.97%) Novo Nordisk

5 x $O (-0.43%) Realty Income

30 x $OBDC (-0.67%) Blue Owl Capital

2 x $PEP (-1.76%) PepsiCo

5 x $RIO (+0.15%) Rio Tinto

10 x $SHEL (-0.56%) Shell

1 x $V (-0.29%) Visa

2 x $ZTS (-1.66%) Zoetis

The thought here was / is: I like to invest in values that are boring & that I / humanity often see / use / stumble across in my / their daily lives.

I don't buy individual stocks for now, except possibly Zoetis, Main or Salesforce. So far, I have not found any attractive entry points for tech stocks in this portfolio.

One more thing: I don't want to sell everything & shift into the VWRL, and I also know that at 28 I COULD perhaps focus more on growth. The portfolio should be geared towards the long term & dividends motivate me enormously. Just like a beer at the end of the day. 🥸😋

On the side, I still have around CHF 2000 on a crypto exchange $BTC (+6.28%) Bitcoin lying around.

And now thanks for your opinions. ☺️

Rio Tinto $RIO (+0.15%)
$RIO (+1.6%) wants to reduce production at its Yarwun alumina refinery in the Australian state of Queensland by 40 percent in order to gain time to find a new long-term solution for the waste generated there in the production of aluminum oxide.

Production at the refinery will be reduced from October 2026, reducing annual alumina production by around 1.2 million tons, the mining group announced.

Around 180 of the current 725 employees will lose their jobs. Around 3 million tons of aluminium oxide are currently produced at the site each year. This supplies Rio Tinto's aluminum smelters and customers all over the world.

At current production rates, the Yarwun tailings facility, where the waste from the refinery process is stored, is expected to reach its capacity limit by 2031. However, the Group has not yet found an alternative solution. By cutting production, Rio Tinto will be able to maintain operations at Yarwun until 2035 while it looks for alternatives.

These could include "innovative solutions for the overburden", such as the use of centrifuges to produce dry overburden, according to the mining company.

Rio Tinto has been supplying alumina from Yarwun since 2004 and expanded the operation in 2012 to double production.

Diversified mining company Rio Tinto $RIO (+0.15%)
$RIO (+1.6%) has signed a Joint Development Agreement (JDA) with Australian environmental technology company Calix to support Zesty's planned green iron demonstration plant in Kwinana, Western Australia, while further design work on its BioIron furnace is deferred pending the completion of additional engineering developments.

If approved, the Zesty demonstration plant will be constructed at the site previously earmarked for the Rio Tinto BioIron research and development (R&D) facility.

Rio Tinto said on Monday that its assessment of the current BioIron furnace design showed that further work was needed to minimize technical risks and improve performance, although the company remains confident in the long-term potential of the technology.

BioIron, which has been developed by Rio Tinto's steel decarbonization team over the past decade, uses raw biomass such as wheat straw, bagasse and rice straw as a reducing agent and consumes about a third of the electricity needed for hydrogen-based steelmaking.

The research was continued in collaboration with the University of Nottingham and Metso.

For the Zesty project, Rio Tinto will provide around 35 million Australian dollars in funding and in-kind support to advance the project, which is also supported by the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA).

Calix has a separate ARENA grant of up to 44.9 million Australian dollars, subject to matching co-financing.

Zesty uses electric heating and hydrogen reduction to produce lower emission iron and is compatible with Pilbara ores, including lower grade materials.

The demonstration plant is designed to produce up to 30,000 tons per year of direct hydrogen reduced iron or hot briquetted iron.

Matthew Holcz, CEO of Rio Tinto Iron Ore, said the agreement would help advance a potential pathway for Pilbara ores in low-emission steelmaking, adding that work on BioIron would continue in parallel.

Under the JDA, Rio Tinto will provide engineering and technical services to support the project through to a final investment decision, which is expected in 2026.

Subject to permitting and construction, the mining company will supply up to 10,000 tons of Pilbara ore for commissioning and initial testing and introduce potential downstream customers.

The partnership grants Rio Tinto a non-exclusive, worldwide and perpetual license for the potential commercial exploitation of the Zesty technology, with the right to sub-license to affiliates and customers and to act as a non-exclusive global marketing agent.

The Kwinana site provides access to existing supply and port infrastructure and is close to the NeoSmelt facility where Rio Tinto and four other partners are developing downstream processing options with ARENA's support.

The mining giant Rio Tinto, which is listed on the London Stock Exchange, among others $RIO (+0.15%)
$RIO (+1.6%) has put its massive Jadar lithium project in Serbia on hold for cost reasons in order to focus on other short-term opportunities.

According to an internal memo obtained by the Wall Street Journal, Rio Tinto announced it was putting the Jadar lithium project - a US$2.4 billion project considered to be potentially one of the largest greenfield lithium projects in the world - into maintenance mode.

The company, whose new CEO Simon Trott promised to cut costs and streamline operations when he took office in August, said the decision was made "as part of our strategy to simplify the entire portfolio and prioritize near-term opportunities".

Rio Tinto is one of the world's largest lithium producers following its US$6.7 billion acquisition of Acradium Lithium last year.

The mining group continues to attach strategic importance to Jadar and previously stated that the size and high grade of the deposits offered the potential to supply the electric vehicle value chain with lithium "for decades".

However, the project faces ongoing difficulties in obtaining approval from the Serbian government as well as opposition from the surrounding communities.

"Given the lack of progress in the permitting process, we cannot maintain the level of expenditure and resources committed to date," the company said in an internal statement this week.

Trott is expected to explain the strategic direction of the mining company to shareholders at a scheduled capital markets day in London on December 4.

Hi everyone, here's a little insight into the October results of my portfolio, and well, there are also some down months - it can't always be a steep upward trend.

However, I am basically satisfied with everything and the minus in October is really within a very manageable range.

If you look at the current year as a whole...

...you quickly realize why I am still very satisfied with the future. It may not be a high performer, but for a value dividend portfolio it's still enough to build on 🫠

》IRR 21.22%《

》TTWROR 61.01%《

I am also relaxed about the future in the long term, because...

...everything is still relaxed at the upper end and let's see what else the crystal ball has in store for the future 🍊 😅

Especially since the goal of generating the FSA 1000/2000€ as quickly as possible through dividend payments has been optimally achieved, creating the potential for me to simply let profits run and not be dependent on sales, although sometimes a small take-away and later re-entry will probably be on the program more often...but that's how you keep feeling your way 🤫

However, as well as dividends, there is also some really good news: the second check-up after my operation in June was still negative and the third is due next month. The first year is always the most critical and so it's important to keep 👍🏻 and push through da....

...but let's stick to the subject of dividends...

In October, the yield was a bit lean and there was only €64.01 net dividend, which still means +76.02% YTD 💪🏻

But things are looking much better again this month, well, minus the beloved tax...

...which brings us to the top and flops of the month:

Top 3

🟢 $RIO (+0.15%) +10,32% (+16,32%)

🟢 $FTWG (+0.04%) +3,93% (+10,65%)

🟢 $YYYY (+0.62%) +3,87% (+7,46%)

Flop3

🔴 $HAUTO (-0.72%) -12,47% (+13,96%)

🔴 $MUX (+1.45%) -6,16% (+20,82%)

🔴 $DTE (-0.63%) -5,96% (-4,68€)

Purchases:

$DTE (-0.63%)

$1211 (+0.55%)

$HAUTO (-0.72%)

Disposals:

》none《

And so we continue into November with the year-end forecast, which has already been raised twice...and I wish us all a successful November ✌🏻

The investment will increase the nominal capacity of the Rio Tinto plant to 9 tons per year.

Scandium is used in high-performance aluminum alloys, solid oxide fuel cells and other advanced technologies. Rio Tinto's demonstration plant $RIO (+0.15%)
$RIO (+1.6%)which came on stream in 2022, currently meets all North American scandium demand and is one of the few significant sources within the OECD.

"With its unique investment mandate, the Canada Growth Fund (CGF) invests in innovative transaction structures that directly support strategically important projects. This transaction, completed with an established operating partner, allows us to develop new risk-sharing and value creation models that advance Canada's strategy to strengthen supply chain resilience," said Yannick Beaudoin, President and CEO of Canada Growth Fund Investment Management.

"Our commitment to the project demonstrates how targeted investment and disciplined structuring can bring tangible benefits to Canadian industry and the economy," he added.

"We are very pleased to bring PSP Investments' rigorous investment process, extensive expertise and independent governance model to the implementation of CGF's mandate," said Deborah Orida, President and CEO of PSP Investments. "With today's announcement, CGF continues to deliver innovative solutions that enable the development of important projects, enhance the investment climate in Canada and support PSP's foresight into the development of the critical minerals supply chain."

"Rio Tinto is pleased to partner with CGF and the Canadian government to expand our Canadian production of scandium oxide, a high-performance material for advanced manufacturing and power generation," said Sophie Bergeron, Managing Director of Rio Tinto Iron and Titanium and Diamonds.

Rio Tinto has developed a process to recover high-purity scandium from waste streams from its titanium dioxide facilities in Québec, avoiding new mining areas and minimizing environmental impact.

The transaction supports the G7 Critical Minerals Action Plan, which aims to reduce dependence on unstable supply chains and coordinate offtake and price stabilization mechanisms. As part of the agreement, the Canadian government will enter into commercial arrangements with Rio Tinto, including an offtake agreement and a scandium marketing and storage agreement.

The activist fund Palliser Capital has urged Rio Tinto $RIO (+0.15%)
$RIO (+1.6%) to submit a counter offer for Teck Resources, according to Reuters on Monday. Teck Resources had recently announced the terms of a no-premium merger with Anglo American.

Palliser also said Rio Tinto should unify its dual listing and spin off its base metals business to create a leading copper group.

In a letter to the board dated October 17, Rio shareholder Palliser urged the company to challenge Teck's agreed merger with Anglo American in order to gain control of a world-class copper portfolio that could produce 1.3 million tons annually.

Palliser - with Rio shares worth around $400 million (less than one percent) - confirmed the authenticity of the letter but declined to comment further, according to Reuters.

The letter argues that the merger would diversify Rio Tinto beyond iron ore, unlock cost synergies of at least $800 million and accelerate copper growth by a decade, with less risk than greenfield expansions. This would better position the Group for the global energy transition.

Rio Tinto told Reuters it remained focused on "maximizing value for shareholders" and would provide a strategy update at its capital markets day in five weeks' time. The company said the arguments regarding the dual listing had been discussed at length and rejected by shareholders.

Under Palliser's plan, Rio Tinto - currently listed in London and Sydney - would first become an Australian holding company before splitting into two companies: one focused on copper, aluminum and zinc in Canada, the other on iron ore in Australia.

"Combination is not optional - it is a prerequisite for any credible strategic combination," says the letter, which calls for swift action before the Anglo Tinto and Teck merger is finalized.

Anglo Tinto and Rio Tinto shareholders are due to vote on their merger plan on December 9.

Aterian plc $ATN (+0%) has regained full control of its HCK project in the Southern Province of Rwanda following Rio Tinto Mining and Exploration Limited's decision to terminate the joint venture.

Rio Tinto $RIO (+0.15%)
$RIO (+1.6%) concluded that the area did not have the required scaling potential for a lithium mine to meet the Group's Tier 1 specifications.

The company had previously invested US$4.73 million in exploration activities including surface geological mapping, geochemical sampling, ground-based geophysical surveys and four diamond core holes.

The termination of the joint venture comes despite Rio Tinto's announcement in July that it intended to exercise its Stage 1 earn-in rights under the joint venture agreement.

On-site exploration had returned a high-grade lithium drill intercept of 6.90m at 2.11% Li₂O, including an intercept of 3.45m at 3.20% Li₂O. Aterian will now focus on developing the tantalum, niobium and lithium potential of the project.

"The return of ownership of the HCK project is an opportunity for Aterian to unlock value on our own terms, particularly through the targeted mining of tantalum and niobium," said Charles Bray, Chairman of Aterian, in the press release.

Aterian plans to integrate the technical data collected by Rio Tinto into its own regional datasets to accelerate the identification and prioritization of mineral targets. The company also intends to attract new strategic partners to monetize the broader business opportunities in Rwanda.

According to the company, the termination of the joint venture is not expected to have a material adverse effect on its short-term operations. Regaining control of the project is seen as a strategic opportunity.

Australia's largest aluminum smelter, which is controlled by Rio Tinto $RIO (+0.15%)
$RIO (+1.6%) may have to cease operations when its current electricity supply contract expires in 2028 due to rising electricity prices.

Tomago Aluminum announced on Tuesday that the company had "reached a point where it will need to consider ceasing operations at the end of its current electricity supply contract".

》Rio Tinto owns around 52 percent of Tomago Aluminum《

The smelter has been looking for an "economically viable energy solution" since 2022 to replace its existing electricity supply contract with Australian energy supplier AGL Energy when it expires, as Tomago announced on its website. However, the company has not yet found an option that would allow it to continue operations beyond 2028.

Rising energy costs are putting a strain on energy-intensive smelters in many parts of the world. In Australia, government representatives recently announced support for Glencore's Mount Isa copper smelter and Townsville refinery, among others.

At Tomago, electricity accounts for more than 40 percent of ongoing operating costs, and the smelter is the largest single consumer of electricity in New South Wales, Australia's most populous state.

"Unfortunately, all market proposals received to date indicate that future energy prices are not economic and there is significant uncertainty as to when renewable energy projects of the scale we require will be available," Tomago Aluminum CEO Jerome Dozol said, according to the release.

No decision has yet been made on the future of the smelter, Dozol said. The company is talking to all its "stakeholders about a viable way forward for Tomago" and has started to consult employees. This process is set to continue until November 21.

Tomago Aluminium is a joint venture between Rio Tinto, the Australian leasing company Gove Aluminium Finance, which holds 36 percent of the shares, and the Norwegian company Norsk Hydro with a stake of around 12 percent. The smelter has been in operation since 1983 and can produce up to 590,000 tons of aluminium annually, which corresponds to almost 40 percent of Australian production.