In Arizona, Amazon Web Services (AWS) has entered a two-year agreement with Rio Tinto's Nuton venture to ensure a steady supply of copper for its expanding artificial intelligence (AI) data centers. This partnership aims to secure approximately 14,000 metric tons of copper cathode over a four-year period, tied to the operations of the recently restarted Johnson Camp mine outside Tucson. This mine is notable for being one of the first new copper production sources in the U.S. in over a decade, having resumed operations last year using innovative bioleaching technology. Amazon is prioritizing lower-carbon materials in its supply chain as it seeks to meet the rising demand for AI infrastructure. The agreement with Rio Tinto will facilitate the supply of copper necessary for manufacturing components used in AWS data centers. The shift to copper is driven by the industry's escalating consumption needs; the average data center requires between 5,000 and 15,000 tons of copper, with the most extensive facilities needing even more for wiring, transformers, and power systems. This increased demand from tech giants like Amazon significantly impacts global copper supply and pricing. Last year, copper prices surged to near-record levels, reflecting broader concerns about supply constraints amid growing demand for electronics, electric vehicles, and renewable energy. The mining and tech industries are responding to these dynamics, with companies like Rio Tinto adapting their operations to produce copper more sustainably, utilizing methods that lower carbon emissions and water usage. The collaboration between AWS and Rio Tinto is not only about securing raw materials; it also involves AWS providing cloud computing and data analytics support to optimize copper production and recovery at the Nuton operation. This partnership illustrates a growing trend in how technological advancements and sustainable practices are interlinked in the pursuit of meeting future demands in the tech sector. As AI technology expands, the reliance on materials like copper is poised to increase, driving innovation in both mining and data processing sectors.