Jan 15 (Reuters) - Rio Tinto said on Thursday it

would supply copper that it leaches from an Arizona mine to

Amazon.com ( AMZN ) for use in the tech giant's artificial

intelligence data centers.

The move underscores the rampant push by ‌the AI industry for

access to supplies of copper and other critical minerals ​that

are used to build wiring, cables, circuit boards and other

electronic ‍parts.

AI sector growth is expected to boost ⁠global copper demand

50% ⁠by 2040, although analysts have warned supplies could fall

far short, sparking a ‌rush to ensure access.

Under the ​two-year agreement, companies that build parts for

Amazon Web Services will use copper produced by Rio's Nuton

leaching ⁠program from a mine owned ‍by Gunnison ​Copper.

The companies did not disclose financial terms or production

volumes. Rio did not immediately respond to a Reuters request

for ‍comment.

The Nuton technology uses bacteria that naturally produces

heat when applied to certain types of rock, helping to extract

copper.

Rio has been studying leaching for more than 30 years. It

named the leaching program "Nuton" after the 17th-century

British scientist Isaac Newton, ​who ‍first developed the theory

of gravity.

Freeport-McMoRan ( FCX ), the largest U.S. copper producer,

has been using leach technology for years. It leached ​roughly

300 million pounds of copper last year and expects to leach 800

million pounds annually by 2030.

Copper prices have climbed above $13,000 a metric

ton on the London Metal Exchange - a 40% increase in the past

year - as expectations of surging demand from AI-powered data

centres collide with ​tight global supplies.

Valued for its high electrical conductivity, copper is

essential for power grids, electric vehicles and infrastructure

critical to the energy transition.