Amazon has signed a strategic partnership to use low-grade copper for data centre construction. On Jan. 19, online media outlet Gigazine reported that Amazon will work with Rio Tinto to adopt bioleaching technology that uses microorganisms to extract copper from ore. The technology, developed by Rio Tinto venture Nuton Technologies, could shorten supply chains and make low-grade ore economical. Nuton plans to produce 14,000 tonnes of copper in Arizona over four years, with Amazon as its first customer providing technical support and analytical capabilities.