Our approach

Community contributions

The mining industry can play a central role in building and maintaining the financial strength of local communities, for example through making contributions that support the development of small businesses and projects which build communities' capacity. However, there is also a risk that communities become dependent on mining industry support, which can cause significant issues when a mining operation eventually closes. Therefore, community contributions are the most effective when the projects they support can survive without input from a mining company - in other words, the projects are sustainable. Our overall aim is that community dependence on mining activities decreases over time.

Rio Tinto Coal Australia’s community contributions are provided in three main areas. Contributions in 2008 were $4.7 million (excluding mitigation costs).

Mitigation – this involves paying for any infrastructure, or managing any impacts, that have been directly caused by mining operations. Examples include road relocation, water supply, energy supply, noise and dust mitigation measures and land rehabilitation.
Community development funds - funding applications are assessed by a board, of both Rio Tinto Coal Australia and other community representatives, with the aim of contributing to local communities in a manner that improves their long term sustainability.

Since their inception, Rio Tinto Coal Australia's community development funds have contributed approximately $12 million to the communities in which we operate. In 2008 Rio Tinto Coal Australia's five operating community development funds approved close to $2 million in funding. Of this:

28 per cent was for cultural and heritage programmes
28 per cent was for education programmes
16 per cent was for business development programmes
14 per cent was for training and employment programmes
12 per cent was for community benefit programmes, and
1 per cent was for sport and other programmes.

2008 was the final year of funding for four of the funds and towards the end of the year Rio Tinto Coal Australia announced their continuation. This commitment of $3 million over three years in each state, Queensland and New South Wales, continues our long term commitment to the communities in the regions in which we operate.

In addition, during 2008 and early 2009 Rio Tinto Coal Australia launched three Aboriginal Community Development Funds. The Clermont Aboriginal Community Development Fund, Wiri Yuwiburra Aboriginal Community Benefits Trust and Kestrel Aboriginal Community Development Fund are designed to support projects that work towards providing business, education and training opportunities for the Wiri Yuwiburra, Wangan and Jagalingou and Kangoulu people in Central Queensland.

With the sale of Tarong Mine in early 2008, Rio Tinto Coal Australia no longer operates the Tarong Community Development Fund or the Aboriginal Community Interest Consultative Committee.

Rio Tinto Coal Australia also had two 2008 targets for the funds:

To document and report the amount of funding leveraged, or matched. Rio Tinto Coal Australia encourages joint support for community development projects as this is an indication of the value or importance of a project and also contributes to the ongoing sustainability of the project if more than one organisation is involved. In 2008, for every dollar contributed by Rio Tinto Coal Australia, 57 cents was contributed by another organisation
To document and report the number of employees participating in Rio Tinto Coal Australia funded community development activities. During the year this target was revised to ‘document and report the number of projects that provide opportunities for employee involvement’, to provide a more measurable outcome. In 2008, the five operational community development funds approved 50 projects in total. Almost half of these (24) provided opportunities for employee involvement.

2008 was the final year of funding for four of the funds and towards the end of the year Rio Tinto Coal Australia announced their continuation. This commitment of $3 million over three years in Queensland and New South Wales continues our long term commitment to the communities in the regions in which we operate.

More details about each fund are provided at the following links:

With the sale of Tarong Mine in early 2008, Rio Tinto Coal Australia no longer operates the Tarong Community Development Fund or the Aboriginal Community Interest Consultative Committee.

Partnerships, sponsorships and donations - read more about our partnerships, sponsorships and donations.

Rio Tinto Coal Australia also makes contributions to the economy.

Read the RTCA newsletter online