Rio Tinto, a company that has made its name exploiting public and indigenous mineral wealth for decades, is set to make off with an astounding $140 billion in publicly-held mineral rights, in Arizona, USA, for what is expected to be North America’s largest copper mine, run by subsidiary Resolution Copper. BHP Billiton also holds a 45% stake in Resolution Copper’s Arizona project.
See http://lakesuperiorminingnews.net/2009/12/17/rio-tinto-set-to-make-off-with-140-billion-in-public-mineral-wealth/.
See also http://www.minesandcommunities.org/article.php?a=9780.