Rio Tinto Group and Glencore Plc have engaged in early-stage discussions about merging their businesses, a move that could potentially create the largest-ever deal in the mining industry. The talks, which took place late last year, are no longer active, according to sources familiar with the matter. The proposed merger aimed to form a mining giant to rival BHP Group, with a combined market value of around $158 billion. Rio Tinto, valued at approximately $103 billion and the world's second-largest miner, and Glencore, valued at about $55 billion and a major producer of coal and base metals, have a history of considering such a combination, with Rio rejecting a merger proposal from Glencore in 2014. The discussions were driven by the industry's push towards metals like copper, essential for the energy transition, although Rio Tinto's interest in Glencore's assets might be limited to copper, excluding its coal operations. BHP Group, currently valued at $126 billion, would be surpassed by the merged entity.