Rio Tinto pays $4bn of tax and royalties in 2016

Mining giant Rio Tinto paid $4bn in taxes and royalties in 2016, taking its total direct tax contributions past $50bn since it first began issuing these details in report form in 2010.

Most of Rio Tinto's taxes were paid in Australia ($2.9bn), followed by Canada ($249m), Mongolia ($215m), Chile ($205m), the US ($102m) and South Africa ($100m).

Corporate income tax remained the largest component of Rio Tinto's tax payments around the world in 2016, followed by government royalties, employer payroll taxes and other taxes.

At 12:43 GMT, shares in Rio Tinto were up 0.38% to 3267.5p each.