- AWS demand dwarfs Arizona copper output despite renewed domestic mining activity
- Nuton technology shortens copper processing while leaving scale limitations unresolved
- Only part of the deal relies on Rio Tinto’s lower-carbon method
As global copper demand continues to rise, Amazon Web Services has agreed to source newly mined copper from Rio Tinto’s operations in Arizona, marking the first domestic copper supply in more than a decade.
The material will come primarily from the Johnson Camp mine, which has restarted as a proving ground for Rio Tinto’s Nuton bioleaching process.
The agreement links copper output directly to US data center construction, where demand has risen sharply due to expanding compute infrastructure.
Nuton technology and digital oversight
Each hyperscale facility requires very large copper volumes, which raises questions about how much impact a single mine can realistically have.
Nuton relies on naturally occurring microorganisms to extract copper from primary sulfide ores, avoiding several stages common in conventional processing.
The method produces a copper cathode at the mine site, which reduces reliance on concentrators, smelters, and refineries.
AWS infrastructure supports simulations of heap leach behavior and feeds analytics into operational decisions.
These systems resemble those used to manage AI tools in large software environments, although their effectiveness depends on the quality and stability of geological input data rather than model sophistication alone.
Rio Tinto claims Nuton uses less water and generates lower carbon emissions than standard concentrator routes, while enabling recovery from ore previously classed as waste.
The process reportedly delivers 99.99% pure copper cathode, which simplifies downstream logistics.
However, published projections indicate that only part of the total copper delivered under the deal will come from this method.
Additional tonnage will be supplied through conventional run-of-mine leaching, which reduces the overall environmental benefit claimed for the collaboration.
Over the next four years, Rio Tinto will produce around 14,000 metric tonnes of Nuton copper, with delivery nearing 30,000 tonnes once it includes conventional leaching.
A single large data center can consume tens of thousands of tonnes on its own, which shows that the agreement covers only a small fraction of AWS demand.
Beyond physical supply, the deal gives AWS an early foothold in upstream materials tied to AI-driven infrastructure growth.
Copper remains essential for building the electrical systems that power data centers, which makes availability a practical constraint on large-scale AI deployments, including LLMs.
“Amazon’s Climate Pledge goal to reach net zero carbon by 2040 requires us to innovate across every part of our operations, including how we source the materials that power our infrastructure,” said Amazon’s Chief Sustainability Officer, Kara Hurst.
“This collaboration with Nuton Technology represents exactly the kind of breakthrough we need—a fundamentally different approach to copper production that helps reduce carbon emissions and water use. As we continue to invest in next-generation carbon-free energy technology and expand our data center operations, securing access to lower-carbon materials produced close to home strengthens both our supply chain resilience and our ability to decarbonize at scale.”
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