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Share capital - Rio Tinto plc
 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2022
Disclosure of classes of share capital [abstract]  
Share capital - Rio Tinto plc
34     Share capital
Recognition and measurement:
Ordinary shares are classified as equity. Incremental costs directly attributable to the issuance of new shares are shown in equity as a deduction, net of tax, from the proceeds.
Where any Group company purchases the Group’s equity share capital (treasury shares), the consideration paid, including any directly attributable incremental costs (net of income taxes) is deducted from equity attributable to owners of Rio Tinto. Where such shares are subsequently reissued, any consideration received, net of any directly attributable incremental costs and the related income tax effects, is included in equity attributable to owners of Rio Tinto. If purchased Rio Tinto plc shares are cancelled, an amount equal to the nominal value of the cancelled share is credited to the capital redemption reserve.
Rio Tinto plc

2022
Number
(million)
2021
Number
(million)
2020
Number
(million)
2022
US$m
2021
US$m
2020
US$m
Issued and fully paid up share capital of 10p each
At 1 January
1,255.795 1,255.756 1,259.345 207 207 207 
Ordinary shares issued under the Global Employee Share plan (GESP)
0.050 0.039 0.039 — — — 
Shares purchased and cancelled(a)
— — (3.628)— — — 
At 31 December1,255.845 1,255.795 1,255.756 207 207 207 
Shares held by public
At 1 January
1,248.141 1,246.904 1,249.924 
Shares reissued from treasury under the GESP
1.464 1.198 0.569 
Ordinary shares issued under the GESP0.050 0.039 0.039 
Shares purchased and cancelled(a)
— — (3.628)
At 31 December1,249.655 1,248.141 1,246.904 
Shares held in treasury
6.190 7.654 8.852 
Shares held by public
1,249.655 1,248.141 1,246.904 
Total share capital1,255.845 1,255.795 1,255.756 
Other share classes
Special Voting Share of 10p each(b)
1 only1 only1 only
DLC Dividend Share of 10p each(b)
1 only1 only1 only
(a)The authority for the company to buy back its ordinary shares was renewed at the 2021 annual general meeting. No shares were bought back and cancelled in 2022 or 2021 under the on-market buy-back programme. 3,627,568 shares were bought back in 2020 under the on-market buy-back programme.
(b)The “Special Voting Share” was issued to facilitate the joint voting by shareholders of Rio Tinto plc and Rio Tinto Limited on Joint Decisions, following the DLC Merger. The “DLC Dividend Share” was issued to a subsidiary of Rio Tinto Limited to facilitate the efficient management of funds within the DLC structure. In addition, an Equalisation Share is authorised but not issued and is governed by the terms of the DLC Merger Sharing Agreement.
During 2022, US$16 million of shares and ADRs (2021: US$18 million; 2020: US$31 million) were purchased by employee share ownership trusts on behalf of Rio Tinto plc to satisfy employee share awards on vesting. At 31 December 2022, 232,621 shares and 49,777 ADRs were held in the employee share ownership trusts on behalf of Rio Tinto plc.