LONDON, Jan 13 (Reuters) - Rio Tinto

has engaged JPMorgan ( JPM ) and two other advisers on its

potential acquisition of Glencore ( GLCNF ), a deal that could

create the world's largest miner ‌worth over $200 billion, a

source with knowledge of the situation told ​Reuters.

The other banks Rio Tinto has engaged are ‍Evercore

and Australian financial services group Macquarie, ⁠the person

said. ⁠The roles are highly prized as bankers jostle for a ‌share

of potentially more than $100 ​million in advisory fees that such

a deal could generate.

The potential transaction represents the ⁠latest attempt at

consolidation in ‍the ​global mining industry, as companies race

to secure reserves of metals including copper, needed for the

energy ‍transition and artificial intelligence.

Glencore ( GLCNF ) has not yet formally retained an adviser, a second

person with knowledge of the matter said. The people spoke on

condition of anonymity because the matter is private. ​Citi

retains ‍ties to the company as the U.S. bank has advised it on

previous deals including ​its failed acquisition of Teck

in 2023, Reuters reported previously.

The two mining giants have explored combining operations

before, with Rio Tinto rejecting a Glencore ( GLCNF ) merger offer in

2014, saying it was not in shareholders' interest, while more

recent ​merger talks in late 2024 also concluded without an

agreement.

Bloomberg previously reported the names of banks advising on

the latest attempt.

(Reporting by ‍Andres Gonzalez; Editing by Anousha Sakoui and

Emelia Sithole-Matarise)