Rio Tinto is not concerned about China's plans to centralise iron-ore purchases and has strong ties with its customers, the Australia CEO for the global miner said on Friday.

"The situation on the gas market is tense," Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Action Robert Habeck said in a statement.

These measures have raised concerns that the EU might scale back its climate ambitions.

Many European countries have recently announced the reopening of coal power plants as gas supplies from Russia have slumped amid European Union sanctions.

The district, part of an old coal-mining region that closed five years ago, has taken up the challenge of transforming the local economy, embracing green agriculture despite the poor soil and lack of water.

The Mehrum power plant in Germany is back in operation due to the current gas supply crisis.

Premier receives $18.1m in funding for Zulu pilot processing plant

Heavy rainfalls, withering droughts and other extreme weather patterns across the globe are denting miners' profits and crimping supply of iron ore, copper and other widely-used minerals as climate change roils yet another industry.