Madhumitha Jaganmohan
Research expert covering climate and environmental sustainability
Anglo American - statistics & facts
Founded in 1917 in Johannesburg, South Africa, multinational mining company Anglo American is now listed in London and is among the 10 largest mining companies worldwide based on revenue. With 56 sites across 15 countries around the world, its operations are mainly in the exploration and extraction of natural commodities such as base metals, minerals, precious metals. In 2023, Anglo American’s revenue totaled 32.5 billion U.S. dollars.
In 2021 Anglo American finalized the sale of its thermal coal mining assets to Glencore, and thus Anglo American only produced steelmaking coal from 2022 onwards. This is due to pressure from investors, regulators, and environmentalists to move away from the polluting fossil fuel as the world looks to cleaner energy sources.
In 2024, rival mining giant BHP offered to buy out Anglo American for over 30 billion British pounds in what would have been the world's largest mining sector deal in the last decade, however both the first and second offers were rejected. Amidst BHP's attempts to take over Anglo American, Anglo American has announced plans to divest De Beers and Anglo American Platinum and focus on its crop nutrients, copper, and iron ore businesses.
Which minerals does Anglo American produce?
Anglo American has vested interests in numerous commodities. These include copper, diamonds, coal, polyhalite, nickel, iron ore, manganese, and platinum. Anglo American was the world’s largest producer of platinum as of 2023, accounting for a 39 percent share of the world’s annual production as of 2023. The two most financially rewarding of Anglo American’s segments are the Platinum Group Metals segment and the Iron Ore segment. In 2023, Anglo American's iron ore production totaled 35.7 million metric tons at the company's Kumba mine in South Africa, and another 24.2 million metric tons at its Minas-Rio mine in Brazil.In 2021 Anglo American finalized the sale of its thermal coal mining assets to Glencore, and thus Anglo American only produced steelmaking coal from 2022 onwards. This is due to pressure from investors, regulators, and environmentalists to move away from the polluting fossil fuel as the world looks to cleaner energy sources.
A Diamond is not Forever: Anglo American's ownership and sale of De Beers and other portfolio changes
In 2011, Anglo American increased its stake in the diamond company De Beers to 85 percent, with the remaining 15 percent owned by the Government of the Republic of Botswana. De Beers is one of the leading diamond mining companies worldwide, with a diamond production that amounted to roughly 32 million carats of diamonds in 2023.In 2024, rival mining giant BHP offered to buy out Anglo American for over 30 billion British pounds in what would have been the world's largest mining sector deal in the last decade, however both the first and second offers were rejected. Amidst BHP's attempts to take over Anglo American, Anglo American has announced plans to divest De Beers and Anglo American Platinum and focus on its crop nutrients, copper, and iron ore businesses.
