Rio Tinto invests $1.1 billion to expand aluminum smelter in Canada

Rio Tinto intends to expand its AP60 aluminum smelter at Complexe Jonquière in Canada. The company’s $1.1 billion investment will allow for the addition of 96 new AP60 pots. This will increase capacity by 60,000 metric tonnes of primary aluminum per year. When fully operational in 2026, the facility will have 34 total AP60 pots and a capacity of approximately 220,000 tonnes per annum. The company will also add 30,000 tonnes of new capacity through its recycling facility at Arvida, which will be operational in 2025. Rio Tinto received financial aid from the Quebec government totaling up to $113 million, and the new project will create 100 permanent jobs.

In a recent quote, Rio Tinto Chief Executive Jakob Stausholm said, “This investment is aligned with our strategy to decarbonise our value chains and grow in materials essential for the energy transition. Our AP60 technology is already proven and producing some of the lowest carbon aluminium in the world, thanks to the expertise of our highly qualified workforce and access to renewable hydropower. This is the most significant investment in our aluminium business for more than a decade and it will further strengthen Rio Tinto’s high-quality and low-carbon offering to our customers as they also work to reduce their own carbon footprint.

Investing in American Manufacturing - 2023

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