Glencore approached Rio Tinto late last year about combining the two big copper producers but the discussions are no longer active, a person familiar with the matter said. The talks between Rio, the world's No.

Rio Tinto and Glencore held talks last year about combining part or all of their businesses, in an indication of how the push by mining companies to secure metals needed for the energy transition has focused executives on large-scale deals.

Rio Tinto is the world’s second-biggest miner, with a market value of about US$103 billion ($140.8 billion) at the close of trading in London on Jan 16, while Glencore was valued at about US$55 billion. BHP is worth about US$126 billion.

Glencore approached Rio Tinto late last year about combining the two big copper producers but the discussions are no longer active, a person familiar with the matter said. The companies declined to comment.

RIO Tinto Group and Glencore have been discussing combining their businesses, which if successful would rank as the largest-ever mining deal and create a behemoth to rival longstanding leader BHP Group.

The last time Rio Tinto and Glencore were caught in merger talks, it was all about iron ore. Australia, and the Pilbara, were at the heart of it. A decade later, it can only be about copper: copper, copper and more copper. Big miners globally want more copper.

Rio Tinto Group y Glencore Plc han estado discutiendo la posibilidad de combinar sus negocios, según personas familiarizadas con el asunto, en lo que podría resultar en el mayor acuerdo de la historia de la industria.

A Rio Tinto and Glencore $260bn mega-merger built around ambitions in copper would face major hurdles but remains a possibility in what would be the biggest ever deal in the mining sector, industry insiders say.

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Rio Tinto (NYSE, LSE, ASX: RIO) and Glencore (LSE GLEN) have been discussing combining their businesses, according to people familiar with the matter,Bloomberg reported.  The Australian mining giant and