Mining Titans BHP and Rio Tinto Turn to Trump as Copper Mine Crisis Deepens

Copper crunch forces mining giants to seek political salvation.

Operation Hail Mary

BHP and Rio Tinto just hit a geological wall at their flagship copper operation—now they're betting a former president can dig them out. No permits, no production, and suddenly everyone's remembering why they hated relying on government approvals in the first place.

Washington Whisper Network

Backchannel talks already underway. Mining execs flashing projections showing supply gaps that'll make current price spikes look tame. They're not asking for handouts—just regulatory speed that matches the urgency of the coming copper famine.

Market Realities Bite

Copper inventories bleeding out while electric everything and AI data centers guzzle supply. Traditional mining can't keep pace, but don't expect these giants to acknowledge that blockchain-based commodity tracking might actually prevent this mess next time. Old money would rather beg politicians than adopt technology that cuts out the middlemen. Typical finance dinosaurs—would rather lobby for permissions than build systems that don't require asking permission.

Elevate Your Investing Strategy:

• Take advantage of TipRanks Premium at 50% off! Unlock powerful investing tools, advanced data, and expert analyst insights to help you invest with confidence.

Rio Tinto and BHP are global mining companies focused on iron ore, copper, coal, and other key resources. In Arizona, the companies are jointly developing one of the world’s biggest untapped copper deposits. The setback marks the latest twist in more than two decades of legal battles over the proposed copper mine.

Trump Attacks Court Decision

The Arizona copper project, or the Resolution Copper project, has faced repeated delays due to environmental concerns and regulatory reviews. Most recently, the project hit another setback when an appeals court issued a temporary injunction blocking a planned land swap needed to MOVE the mine forward. For context, the project requires transferring land in Arizona’s Tonto National Forest to Resolution Copper.

Following the court’s decision, Trump slammed the ruling on Truth Social, calling it a decision by a “radical left” court. He also criticized opponents of the copper project, calling them “anti-American.”

Just a ‘Temporary Pause’

In response, a Resolution Copper spokesperson called the injunction a “temporary pause.” The companies argue the mine could provide up to a quarter of current U.S. copper demand, a metal critical for electric vehicles and the data centers driving the AI boom.

They also say the project aligns with Trump’s push to revive America’s copper industry.

RIO or BHP: Which Stock Is a Better Buy, According to Analysts?

Using TipRanks’ Stock Comparison Tool, we placed BHP and RIO against each other to find the best stock, according to analysts. Among these two, RIO stock is rated as Moderate Buy by analysts, while BHP carries a Hold rating. In terms of share price appreciation, RIO’s average stock price forecast of $64.0 suggest an upside of 5.63% from current levels.