Buying Rio Tinto Ltd (ASX: RIO), Fortescue Ltd (ASX: FMG), or BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) shares for passive income?
You're not alone.
The three S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) mining giants have long been popular with income investors for their (generally) market-beating dividends.
So, after we've closed out the first full trading week of 2026, I thought we'd take a look at the year just past to see how the BHP dividend payouts stack up to those made by Rio Tinto and Fortescue.
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Mining Fortescue, Rio Tinto, or BHP shares for passive income
Starting with Rio Tinto, the ASX 200 mining stock paid out its final fully-franked dividend of $3.713 a share on 17 April. Eligible stockholders will have received the interim dividend of $2.22 a share on 25 September.
That brings the total passive income payout in 2025 for Rio Tinto to $5.933 a share.
At Friday's closing price of $143.06, Rio Tinto shares trade on a fully franked trailing dividend yield of 4.1%.
Moving on to Fortescue, the iron ore giant paid a fully franked interim dividend of 50 cents a share on 27 March. Fortescue paid its final dividend of 60 cents per share on 26 September.
That equates to a total dividend payout of $1.10 a share in calendar year 2025.
Fortescue shares closed on Friday changing hands for $22.71 a share. That sees the ASX 200 stock trading on a fully-franked trailing dividend yield of 4.8%.
Which brings us to the passive income payouts delivered by BHP shares over the year just past.
Eligible stockholders will have received the fully franked interim BHP dividend of 79.1 cents a share on 27 March. BHP paid its final dividend of 91.9 cents a share on 25 September.
That works out to a full-year payout of $1.71 per share.
BHP shares closed on Friday swapping hands for $47.72 each. This sees BHP trading on a fully franked trailing dividend yield of 3.6%.
Which ASX 200 mining stock was the best for passive income in 2025?
Paying out a total of $5.933 a share in passive income in 2025, Rio Tinto beats Fortescue and BHP on a per-share basis.
However, Rio Tinto's shares are also significantly more expensive than its two rivals.
Turning to the best dividend yield, the title goes to Fortescue shares, which offer a fully franked trailing dividend yield of 4.8%.
How have the big three ASX 200 mining stocks been performing?
For the 12 months through to market close on Friday, the ASX 200 has gained 4.67%.
Atop the passive income they've delivered, here's how the big three ASX 200 mining stocks have performed over this same time:
- BHP shares are up 22%
- Fortescue shares are up 27%
- Rio Tinto shares are up 23%
