Growing up in Australia, James Low knew he wanted to be part of building something big.
His career at Rio Tinto has allowed him to pursue that dream at every step—from hands-on work in underground and open pit mining operations to guiding large-scale growth initiatives. To every role, James brings a love of learning and enthusiasm to succeeding as a team.
Today, as the new Chief Operating Officer of U.S. Borax, part of Rio Tinto, he’s excited to join us in our ongoing commitment to innovation.
Building on a dream
James spent most of his childhood on his family’s cattle farm north of Sydney in rural Australia. He had space to have adventures and time to learn how to build and operate machines with his dad, a former fighter pilot in the air force. His mother, a pre-school teacher, was an excellent role model of care and empathy.
As a kid who was “interested in everything,” James found himself especially drawn to engineering, which seemed like a field where he could put his curiosity and capabilities to good use.
“At the end of high school, I had a dream of building bridges and skyscrapers—big things at a big scale,” James says. “So, I studied civil engineering, as well as business. During my time at university, however, I realized that as a civil engineer I would potentially end up with a narrow, specialized focus, which wasn’t me. I wanted to be close to the work on the ground.”
Then, he realized where really big projects were happening—in the mining industry. He completed his engineering degrees, along with officer training in the army reserve, then went directly into the graduate program with Rio Tinto as a mining engineer. He completed a master’s degree in mining during his first two years with the company.
Experience leads to big opportunities
From the outset of his time with Rio Tinto, James sought opportunities to grow and learn. When asked whether he had a career path in mind, he is thoughtful.
“I could easily fall into the trap of believing I’ve been more intentional in the direction I’ve taken than I really have been,” he says. “You always have to work hard and be diligent to get opportunities. But for me, the reality is that I’ve been incredibly fortunate. I’ve worked with leaders who took chances on me and invested in my development. And, circumstances led to me doing a variety of different kinds of work along the way.”
After starting as a graduate in Australia, James worked his way up to mine superintendent and interim mine manager, where he combined engineering knowledge and leadership skills to strengthen the mine’s safety culture and operational effectiveness. That role opened a new door: An opportunity to take a job at Rio Tinto’s Kennecott mine in Utah.
“To work abroad like that was dream of mine—to experience a different country, different culture, different work environment. I had incredible support from leaders in the organization to take that step,” he says.
Over the next eight years, James continued pursuing his “interest in everything,” taking on challenges ranging from operations to growth, strategic planning, and business development, eventually being promoted to General Manager in 2017.
In 2020, he and his family—including his two young daughters, who were born in the U.S.—moved back to Australia as he supervised the closure of the Gove refinery, and led the major task of preparing the region for a future beyond mining.
“I’d spent my career to that point focused on mining and processing. Moving to Gove was a chance to learn about the role of our business beyond the mine gates,” he says. It was also an experience that helped to prepare him for his new role, supporting both internal and external stakeholders across U.S. Borax operations.
Borates: Global vision
As chief operating officer for all of borates, James’s influence extends across not only our California operations (including Boron, Wilmington, and Owens Lake) but also our European facilities (including Nules, Coudekerque, and Rotterdam).
“I feel that I am at a place in my career where I can really make a difference to the borates business,” he says of this global role.
At the same time, he acknowledges that U.S. Borax is unique in the Rio Tinto organization, and he is on a steep learning curve in some areas.
“Borates are not a bulk commodity like elsewhere in Rio Tinto. We produce 22 products in numerous grades, packed in several hundred different stock configurations, shipped to all corners of the globe by truck, rail, and sea. We have direct relationships with more than 650 customers who use our products in thousands of different applications. Our team carries a tremendous amount of knowledge in order to plan, produce, and deliver to this complex market. Our commercial and operational teams run the business together.”
James also recognizes how important strong partnerships are in maintaining our customer relationships. “Our customers and distributors know they can rely on the quality and dependability of our products. That’s the cornerstone of our brand—and essential to maintaining the healthy business we have.”
Positioning a healthy business for a bright future
Fortunately, James notes, he’s coming into a well-run business that is filled with world-class experts who are generous about sharing their knowledge.
“I can spend some time becoming part of the team and learning from the people who are running this business well,” he says.
James understands that although change is important, it shouldn’t disrupt what’s working.
“My role isn’t about reinventing the wheel at every opportunity,” he says. “This business already does so many things very well—and that comes back to the incredibly passionate workforce we have. So, my role is about building on that excellence and putting us in a position that strengthens this business for the future.”
James sees several areas of opportunity for progress.
A long-term view of product innovation
“Over 150 years, there’s been constant evolution in how our products are used. Having started as a soap product, the uses of boron have expanded into technical ceramics, semiconductors, and electric vehicles to name just a few. We expect that trend of expanding applications to continue, so we want to be intentional about how we manage our mine and land resources to meet demand. That will enable us to produce the high-end products that the world needs well into the future.”
Partnering with our customers on technical solutions
“We are the leader in the refined borates market, and that means we have exceptional technical expertise. By working with our customers as partners, we will continue to find more efficient and creative ways to use borates to improve products and processes.”
Protecting and evolving our culture
“We have a fantastic culture at U.S. Borax. Our people are more passionate about this business than any other I’ve been part of. It’s why so many people celebrate 30, 40, and even 50 years of service with our organization, and why many of their sons and daughters also now work for us.
“We need to protect that culture. It is—and will continue to be—our backbone as an organization. But, we also need to evolve to make our operations even safer and more productive to remain an attractive place to work. It’s about being proud of our 150-year past while knowing that change is the reason why we’ve been successful for such a long time.”
Strengthening our communities
“Strong community and government partnerships are an essential part of our business. We play a critical role in the economy of the communities in which we operate. I’m particularly excited about the work our team is doing to repurpose land and mining by-product to create additional opportunities in Kern County, California.”
A warm welcome
While James has been learning from our teams, he and his family has been getting settled in their new home.
“We absolutely love California,” he says. “We love the outdoors in particular. California has mountains and snow, the desert, the coast—it’s an incredible place for adventures. People often think the draw of California is the cities and Hollywood. And, while most people are aware of its natural beauty, I don’t think it gets enough credit for how spectacular it truly is.”
We can’t help but agree. And, we share James’s appreciation for the collaborative, dynamic workplace we enjoy.
Interested in joining the our team? Learn more about careers at U.S. Borax.
James Low and his family exploring Death Valley, California
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