As the mining industry moves toward sustainability, the adoption of renewable diesel is gaining momentum. This alternative fuel source offers reduced emissions, improved efficiency, and compliance with global environmental regulations, positioning it as a game-changer for sustainable mining operations.

Renewable diesel has helped fuel Rio Tinto’s Pilbara iron ore operations for the first time, following a successful biofuel trial across its Western Australian ports, railways, and mines network.

The trial, the first of its kind for Rio Tinto in Australia, was conducted in partnership with Neste, a leading global renewable diesel producer, and Australian fuel supplier Viva Energy. It has given Rio Tinto a greater understanding of how renewable diesel could be integrated across its Pilbara operations.

Neste allocated 10 million liters of renewable diesel from used cooking oil¹ for the trial. Viva Energy shipped the fuel from Singapore to Rio Tinto’s Parker Point fuel terminal in Dampier. She blended it portside with fossil diesel to create a mix with about 20% renewable diesel. It was then distributed across Rio Tinto’s Pilbara iron ore operations for use in rail, marine, blasting, haul trucks, surface mining equipment, and light vehicles.

The four-week trial in January and February 2025 provided an understanding of how renewable diesel use could be scaled up across Rio Tinto’s Australian operations in the future, giving key insights into the bulk renewable diesel supply chain, importation, and blending processes. It also reduced Rio Tinto’s Scope 1 emissions by about 27,000 tonnes of direct greenhouse gas emissions, as much as the tailpipe emissions from 6,300² cars for a year.

Rio Tinto Managing Director Rail, Port and Core Services Richard Cohen said: “Diesel makes up about 70% of the total carbon emissions from our Pilbara iron ore operations. While electrification is the ultimate longer-term solution for repowering most of our fleet, we’re also exploring biofuels as complementary and nearer-term solutions.

“Through this trial with Neste and Viva Energy, we’ve gained valuable insights into how renewable diesel can help bridge the gap to widespread electrification as well as for circumstances where electrification may not be suitable.”

Neste Head of Commercial APAC Renewable Products Ee Pin Lee said: “Neste MY Renewable Diesel is a readily available solution for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Building on the successful partnership in the US, the agreement in Australia reinforces our commitment to support our customers. It demonstrates the capabilities of renewable diesel across a wide range of applications.

“This milestone signifies the continuous collaboration with Rio Tinto, and we look forward to expanding our cooperation further.”

Viva Energy Chief Strategy Officer Lachlan Pfeiffer said: “Drop-in biofuels like renewable diesel are essential tools in the energy transition – they help companies reduce emissions without the cost of replacing equipment and infrastructure.

“This trial effectively demonstrated the critical role renewable diesel will play in reducing the carbon footprint of Australia’s heavy industry. Viva Energy is working alongside key partners like Rio Tinto to help them identify the right low-carbon solution to meet their specific business needs.”

Rio Tinto is actively exploring the potential of biofuels as part of its ongoing efforts to achieve its Scope 1 and 2 emissions reduction targets of 50% by 2030 and net zero by 2050. This trial builds on the successful transition at the company’s Boron and Kennecott operations in the US, where 11% of its total global fossil diesel consumption has been replaced with renewable diesel.

Rio Tinto is also developing a Pongamia seed farm in North Queensland as part of a biofuels pilot to contribute to the growth of the Australian biofuels industry.

Learn how Klean Industries is developing projects to produce biogenic diesel fuel for use in the mining sector in the Pilbara, Western Australia » GO. 

Note to editors

The International Sustainability & Carbon Certification (ISCC) scheme provided sustainability certification for this trial according to Renewable Energy Directive (RED II) requirements using a mass balance approach. The mass balance approach is a chain of custody model that tracks and guarantees the amount and sustainability characteristics of circular materials such as used cooking oil through the renewable diesel value chain.
¹ A waste product from restaurants and food industry processes.
² US EPA Greenhouse Gas Equivalencies Calculator.