It's a good day to own BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) shares today. Not to mention the other two S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) mining giants.
In morning trade on Tuesday, Rio Tinto Ltd (ASX: RIO) shares are changing hands for $129.63 apiece, up 3.5%.
Fortescue Ltd (ASX: FMG) shares, meanwhile, are up 2.4%, trading for $19.55 each.
And BHP shares are up 2.2% at $42.80 apiece.
For some context, the ASX 200 is down 0.3% at this same time.
Here's what's capturing ASX investor interest.
BHP shares leap on commodities boost
The ASX 200 mining stocks are all enjoying tailwinds today from a material uptick in their core revenue-earning metals.
Overnight, the iron ore price once more defied bearish analyst predictions of a looming retrace to gain 1.4% instead. Iron ore was last trading for US$107.85 per tonne.
Iron ore is the number one revenue earner for Rio Tinto, Fortescue, and BHP shares.
However, both BHP and Rio Tinto have been actively working to expand their copper exposure in recent years. The red metal now represents their second biggest – and growing – revenue driver.
And the copper price surged again overnight, gaining 4.8% to trade for US$5.13 per pound.
Both metals look to owe part of this latest boost to news that the United States and China may yet be able to reach a new trade agreement, averting the 100% tariff US President Donald Trump has threatened.
With China counting as the world's top iron ore importer, any weakness in its economic outlook can quickly see iron ore prices come under pressure, which in turn can pressure BHP shares and the other top miners.
What else is happening with the ASX 200 miners?
In other major news today, Rio Tinto released its third-quarter update, covering the three months to 30 September.
Among the reasons Rio Tinto shares are outpacing those of Fortescue and BHP today, Rio reported a 6% quarter-on-quarter increase in its Pilbara iron ore shipments to 84.3 million tonnes.
While copper production of 204,000 tonnes was down 11% from the prior quarter, Rio's copper production was up 9% year on year.
As for the other resources, the miner's bauxite, alumina, and aluminium production all edged higher quarter on quarter.
Newly appointed Rio Tinto CEO Simon Trott said:
We continue to strengthen performance from our assets, setting back-to-back quarterly production records in our bauxite business and at Oyu Tolgoi – where the underground ramp-up remains on track to boost copper output by more than 50% this year.
How have Rio Tinto, Fortescue, and BHP shares been tracking?
Taking a step back from today's outperformance, Rio Tinto shares are now up 9.6% year to date; BHP shares are up 7.2%; and the Fortescue share price has gained 3.7% this year.
These figures do not include the dividends the miners have each already paid in 2025.
