Rio Tinto says it’s a green mining giant. Investigation shows environmental gaps from Quebec to the Amazon

At times, Rio Tinto has spilled dangerous chemicals at several of its Quebec sites without disclosing it to the provincial government — behaviour that contradicts the multinational’s brand as an eco-friendly business. Documents obtained by Radio-Canada’s Enquàªte program through an access-to-information request reveal more than 100 environmental infractions doled out to Rio Tinto’s aluminum division in Quebec over the past 15 years. The company has also paid $2.1 million in fines in that same period, making it the third biggest environmental offender in the province. The company was fingered eight times for either neglecting or waiting to report problems related…