Corporation Rio Tinto expects this year's reduction in the volume of copper production by 15%, mainly due to lower raw material quality. As stated by Andrew Harding (Andrew Harding), executive director of the copper division Rio Tinto, production of copper in 2010 will amount to 680 thousand. Tons against 804.700 thousand. Tons in 2009

Extraction of raw copper and its transformation into a pure metal last year amounted to 32% in the income structure of Rio Tinto, finishing in second place after the iron ore.

According to Andrew Harding, in 2010 on the world copper market will be observed a small surplus of metal, but the following year he replaced deficiency.