BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) and Rio Tinto Ltd (ASX: RIO) are two of the world's largest diversified mining companies.
They also dominate the Aussie share market as two of the three biggest ASX 200 miners.
BHP comfortably holds top spot with Fortescue Ltd (ASX: FMG) and its iron ore empire claiming the silver medal.
Not far behind, Rio Tinto rounds out the trio to take bronze.
So, it's no surprise that both BHP and Rio Tinto have secured positions among the top 20 holdings in the WAM Leaders Ltd (ASX: WLE) investment fund.
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WAM Leaders is a listed investment company managed by Wilson Asset Management, a well-known Australian fund manager.
The fund focuses on identifying large-cap companies with strong fundamentals, supported by a compelling macroeconomic backdrop and a catalyst for growth.
And both BHP and Rio Tinto tick all these boxes.
The Big Aussie
BHP operates on a global scale and is a leading producer of iron ore and metallurgical coal, both essential in steelmaking.
The company also owns nickel assets in Western Australia and is advancing a vast potash project in Canada to support global fertiliser production.
Last but not least, the 'Big Aussie' claims to hold the largest copper resource base in the world – a critical metal with mass industrial applications and a key role in the global energy transition.
A global force
Rio Tinto's operations span 35 countries around the world.
The group is a major player in iron ore production with a portfolio of 17 mines in the Pilbara region of Western Australia.
It is also a global leader in aluminium production and has significant copper exposure through operations in America and Mongolia.
Curiously, Rio Tinto is actively expanding into lithium – a key ingredient in battery technology – and could be on track to become the world's second largest producer of this critical modern-day metal.
Who takes the crown?
In its investment update for June, Wilson Asset Management revealed that Rio Tinto was overweight, and BHP was underweight in its WAM Leaders portfolio.
This indicates that the fund holds a larger position in Rio Tinto shares compared to BHP shares.
At least for now, that is.
With the reporting season now on the horizon, production and earnings updates from both companies could influence the fund's positions in the weeks ahead.
The battle of the two ASX 200 mining giants is far from over.
