In this article, we will take a look at the 20 biggest natural resources companies in the world. If you want to skip our introduction about the industry, then take a look at 5 Biggest Natural Resources Companies in the World.
Last year proved that if there’s one investment area that can be labeled as “ever green” in terms of investments, it’s the energy sector. When the entire stock market was crushed amid increasing volatility, the oil and gas industry thrived. A report from Bloomberg says that the S&P 500 Energy Index companies paid out $16.4 billion in cumulative dividends in the third quarter of 2022 alone, up 15% from the second quarter of the year. The report said that these dividend payments and stock price performance of energy companies have boosted investors’ appetite for energy stocks.
The natural resources industry has solid, long-term growth prospects. When there’s peace, governments around the world invest in infrastructure and welfare projects for people, increasing the demand of commodities and natural resources. When there’s war, the world goes through uncertainty and becomes hungry for oil and gas. In every situation, the demand of natural resources is bound to grow.
The worldwide shift to green energy is also boosting growth prospects of natural resource companies working to harness renewable energy like solar, wind and hydropower.
Our Methodology
For this article we did a thorough research to first list down the biggest companies in the following segments of the natural resources industry:
- Oil
- Gas
- Minerals
- Mining
- Forest
- Timber
- Renewable Energy (Sun, Wind)
The above process gave us a large list of companies operating in all the important segments of the natural resources industry. We then chose the biggest of these companies based on market caps. Naturally, oil and gas companies were taking the most share of the list and in some cases major companies from small segments of the industry (for example: timber/forests) were unable to make it to the list.
In those cases, we removed smaller oil and gas players and replaced them with the biggest companies from relatively small but important segments of the natural resources industry. That allowed us to give representation to every natural resource business segment in our list.
The link is ranked in an ascending order of the market caps of these companies.
Biggest Natural Resources Companies in the World
20. Weyerhaeuser Co. (NYSE:WY)
Market Capitalization: $23B
Weyerhaeuser Co. (NYSE:WY) deserves a mention in this list since it dominates an important niche area of the market: forests and timberlands. With a market cap of over $23 billion, Weyerhaeuser Co. (NYSE:WY), which identifies itself as a REIT, owns a whopping 12,400,000 acres of timberlands in the U.S., and manages an additional 14,000,000 acres of timberlands under long-term licenses in Canada.
19. Saudi Arabian Mining Company (TADAWUL:1211.SR)
Market Capitalization: $46B
Saudi Arabian Mining Company (TADAWUL:1211.SR), or Maa’den, is a Saudi Arabian giant which was established to explore the vast resources of minerals in the country. The government of Saudi Arabia still owns a 50% stake in Saudi Arabian Mining Company (TADAWUL:1211.SR). Saudi Arabian Mining Company (TADAWUL:1211.SR) is working on several projects in the country. These projects include the mining and exploration of phosphate, aluminum, gold and base metals.
18. Southern Copper Corporation (NYSE:SCCO)
Market Capitalization: $52B
Southern Copper Corporation (NYSE:SCCO) is the biggest publicly traded copper production company in the world. Southern Copper Corporation (NYSE:SCCO) also ranks high in the production of molybdenum, silver, and zinc. In November, copper prices jumped based on the hopes that China will move away from COVID restrictions. That expectation proved to be true as the country seems to be determined to reopen its economy. China’s return to economic growth trajectory is expected to bode well for some of the biggest natural resource companies in the world.
17. Anglo American Platinum Ltd.
Market Capitalization: $56B
UK-based Anglo American Platinum Ltd. is one of the biggest natural resource companies in the world. Anglo American Platinum Ltd. dominates the lucrative platinum industry and accounts for about 40% of the total platinum production in the world. The company is also one of the biggest producers of diamonds, copper, nickel, iron ore and steelmaking coal.
Recently, Anglo American Platinum Ltd. said it was expecting approximately 5% jump in its total production in 2023. Anglo American Platinum Ltd.’s production fell in 2022. The company also suffered a unit costs rise of 16% in 2022 amid foreign currency headwinds and supply-chain issues.
16. Freeport-McMoRan Inc. (NYSE:FCX)
Market Capitalization: $60B
Freeport-McMoRan Inc. (NYSE:FCX) is an American mining company that dominates the important industry segment of molybdenum production. Freeport-McMoRan Inc. (NYSE:FCX) is also one of the biggest producers of copper and gold. It is operating the biggest goal mine in the world, located in Papua, Indonesia.
Earlier this month, Freeport-McMoRan Inc. (NYSE:FCX) shares gained after an industry-wide optimism gave a boost to the mining stocks. Analysts believe China’s efforts to reopen the economy would increase metals prices and fuel growth in the industry.
ClearBridge Investments made the following comment about Freeport-McMoRan Inc. (NYSE:FCX) in its Q3 2022 investor letter:
“Seeing better opportunities elsewhere in the materials sector, we exited our position in Ecolab and added to copper producer Freeport-McMoRan Inc. (NYSE:FCX), which supplies a much-needed resource for the energy transition, and specialty chemical company Linde (LIN), which has historically held onto pricing gains it has achieved following increases in energy costs. We think this pricing power should protect profitability during the acute inflationary phase and potentially lead to margin expansion when cost pressures abate. We think this pricing power should protect profitability during the acute inflationary phase and potentially lead to margin expansion when cost pressures abate.”
15. GAZPROM
Market Capitalization: $65B
Russia’s GAZPROM is a Russian majority state-owned energy company that was the largest publicly listed natural gas company in the world as of the end of 2019.
14. China Shenhua Energy Co. Ltd. (OTC:CSUAY)
Market Capitalization: $75B
China Shenhua Energy Co. Ltd. (OTC:CSUAY) is the biggest state-owned mining company in the world. The coal-focused company operates several coals mines and a network to transport its coal resources via roads and seas.
13. Glencore plc (OTC:GLNCY)
Market Capitalization:$81B
Glencore plc (OTC:GLNCY) is one of the biggest natural resources companies in the world, with huge market shares in the global zinc, copper, oil and grain markets. Glencore plc (OTC:GLNCY) has facilities all over the world related to metals, minerals, natural gas and agricultural products. Last month, Glencore plc (OTC:GLNCY) said it was abandoning its plans for a controversial coal mine in Australia’s Queensland state. Glencore plc (OTC:GLNCY) cited higher royalties demanded by the state and global uncertainties for the decision.
12. Vale SA (NYSE:VALE)
Market Capitalization: $83B
Vale SA (NYSE:VALE) is one of the most important and biggest natural resources companies in the world. The Brazilian firm is the largest producer of iron ore and nickel in the world. Vale SA (NYSE:VALE) also produces manganese, ferroalloys, copper, bauxite, potash, kaolin, and cobalt. It also operates hydroelectricity plants.
Last month, it was reported that Vale SA (NYSE:VALE) was looking to spin off its base metal assets from its iron ore operations. A Bloomberg report also said that Vale SA (NYSE:VALE) plans to structure its copper and nickel mines into a new legal structure.
11. BP plc (NYSE:BP)
Market Capitalization: $104B
Another oil company in our list of biggest natural resources companies in the world, BP plc (NYSE:BP) is a London-based company that is operating in all important areas of the oil and gas sector, including exploration and extraction, refining, distribution and marketing, power generation, and trading. Recently, BP plc (NYSE:BP) announced that it plans to expand its investments in Gulf of Mexico and Texas. BP plc (NYSE:BP) also said that it will increase its spending in the U.S. onshore oil and gas business by about 41% Y/Y to $2.4 billion in 2023. In the Gulf of Mexico, it expects to boost spending by a yearly average of $2.3 billion in the 2023-2025 period from $2 billion per year in the past five years.
10. Rio Tinto PLC (NYSE:RIO)
Market Capitalization: $122.60B
Founded in 1873, Rio Tinto PLC (NYSE:RIO) is the second-largest mining company in the world. Rio Tinto PLC (NYSE:RIO) operates in almost all major natural resource mining areas such as bauxite, iron, aluminum, borates, coal, diamond, and gold, among others. Recently, a Financial Times report said that Rio Tinto PLC (NYSE:RIO) was looking to acquire critical assets in important industries such as lithium and nickel.
9. Siemens Aktiengesellschaft (OTC:SIEGY)
Market Capitalization: $123B
German giant Siemens Aktiengesellschaft (OTC:SIEGY) dominates the wind energy industry, thanks to its Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy segment that manufactures wind turbines and provides onshore and offshore wind services. Siemens Aktiengesellschaft (OTC:SIEGY)’s SG 14.0-222 wind turbine is the largest wind turbine in the world.
8. ConocoPhillips (NYSE:COP)
Market Capitalization: $147B
Based in the famous Energy Corridor district in Texas, ConocoPhillips (NYSE:COP) operates energy plants all over the world. In the US, its plants are located in Alaska, the Eagle Ford Group, the Permian Basin, the Bakken Formation, the Gulf of Mexico and the Anadarko Basin. As of the end of 2019, ConocoPhillips (NYSE:COP) had 5,262 million barrels of oil equivalent reserves.
ConocoPhillips (NYSE:COP) is playing a key part in enabling Europe to cut its reliance on Russian energy. Recently, ConocoPhillips (NYSE:COP) and QatarEnergy signed agreements to supply gas to Germany for 15 years starting in 2026.
7. BHP Group (NYSE:BHP)
Market Capitalization: $162.4B
BHP Group (NYSE:BHP) is an obvious name in the list of the biggest natural resources companies in the world. It is the biggest mining firm in the world. BHP Group (NYSE:BHP) recently said that it continues to expect inflation challenges in 2023. However, the company management believes China could be a resource of relief in the commodities market. In October, BHP Group (NYSE:BHP)’s CEO Mike Henry said that the company was seeing some “green shoots” related to China.
6. TotalEnergies SE (NYSE:TTE)
Market Capitalization: $163B
French giant TotalEnergies SE (NYSE:TTE) is one of the major oil and gas companies operating in the world. It operates in power generation, transportation, refining, petroleum product marketing and other key areas of the oil and gas market.
Recently, it was reported that TotalEnergies SE (NYSE:TTE) will slash energy prices for small businesses after French President Macron urged energy companies in the country to sign “excessive” contracts with small businesses in the face of rising inflation. TotalEnergies SE (NYSE:TTE) also said that it plans to offer lower energy rates to new customers.
Click to continue reading and see 5 Biggest Natural Resources Companies in the World.
Suggested articles:
Disclosure: None. 20 Biggest Natural Resources Companies in the World is originally published on Insider Monkey.
