Xstrata

The company was founded in 1926 in Switzerland as Südelektra, an infrastructure and electricity projects concern operating in Latin America.

In 1990, Marc Rich + Co AG became its majority shareholder. In the 1990s it diversified into mining and disposed of its non-core businesses.

Mick Davis was appointed CEO of Xstrata in 2001, and it was first listed on the London Stock Exchange in 2002 at which time it acquired Glencore's coal assets in Australia and South Africa. Glencore controlled 40% of Xstrata stock in 2001.

In 2003, Xstrata doubled in size with the A$2.9 billion takeover of Australian copper, zinc and lead miner MIM Holdings. However, it failed in a 2005 bid for another Australian miner, WMC Resources, which was captured by BHP, the world's biggest mining company.

In 2004, Xstrata closed its recently purchased Windimurra Vanadium plant in Western Australia which had the effect of increasing Vanadium prices received for Xstrata's other Vanadium mines around the world. Many hundreds of people were put out of work.

In August 2005, Xstrata purchased a 19.9% stake in Falconbridge Nickel Mines, a diversified Canadian mining company producing copper, nickel, aluminum, lead and zinc. Following a contested take-over battle with Inco Limited, Xstrata acquired the remaining 80.1% of Falconbridge in August 2006.

In 2006, The Northern Territory and Australian Governments approved the expansion of the McArthur River zinc mine, near the popular fishing destination of Borrooloola. The expansion involves diversion of the river to a new 5.5 km channel, to allow construction of a massive open-cut pit in the existing river.

On behalf of the traditional owners of the region – the Yanyuwa, Marra, Garrawa and Gurdanji peoples – the Northern Land Council launched a legal challenge to the Northern Territory Government's decision to approve the mining of and diversion of the McArthur River. On 1 May 2007, The Northern Territory Supreme Court ruled in favour of the Northern Land Council to stop the expansion. On 3 May 2007, the Northern Territory government rushed through retrospective legislation to overrule the court decision and allow the open-cut mine to proceed.

After 2000, it developed from a small player into one of the world's largest diversified mining groups with the help of a series of large acquisitions. In 2008, its degree of transnationality according to the Transnationality Index was 93.2 percent and ranked first place. It had major operations/projects in eighteen countries (Australia, Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Germany, Jamaica, New Caledonia, Norway, Papua New Guinea, Peru, South Africa, Spain, Tanzania, the United States and the United Kingdom) and it was a major producer of copper, coking coal, thermal coal, nickel, ferrochrome, vanadium and zinc. It had smaller scale involvement in aluminum, gold, lead and silver. It also had interests in platinum group metals through its 24.9% stake in Lonmin.

In July 2012, Xstrata opened its first office in mainland China. China accounted for up to one-third of Xstrata's global sales. The office was located in Shanghai.

Bulga Coal

Xstrata were the operators of the Bulga Coal Mine in NSW, Australia. Xstrata managed this mine on behalf of the Bulga Coal Pty Ltd shareholders from 2001 when it purchased Enex Resources Limited from Glencore International AG. The Bulga Coal mine site served as the headquarters for Xstrata Coal's NSW division.

Mangoola coal mine controversy

In 2007 Xstrata Coal bought the Mangoola coal mine in the Hunter Valley from Centennial Coal. After this, Xstrata Coal came under media scrutiny numerous times in regards to the company's management of the pre-mining stage of the mining project. Most notably scrutinised was the community relations approach of Xstrata Coal towards the local community, with allegations of misleading actions on behalf of the company being cited in the local and regional media, and other regional and local communication channels. This included the setting up of a local action group in opposition to the mine named WAG (Wybong Action Group).