Photo credit should read Christian Sprogoe/AFP via Getty ImagesAFP via Getty ImagesRio Tinto (NYSE: RIO) has made important strategic decisions aimed at diversifying into critical minerals necessary for the energy transition, including lithium and bauxite. Rio Tinto operates as a vertically integrated mining company—managing the entire value chain from exploration and extraction to processing and export. This structure enables efficient cost management, quality assurance, and responsiveness to shifts in glo ...