Rio To Spend US$1.1B On Expansion Of Low-Carbon Aluminum Smelting Operation In Canada

Rio Tinto, a company in the mining and metals industry that has a worldwide presence, disclosed their plan to spend $1.1 billion to extend their AP60 low carbon aluminum smelter at Saguenay, Canada. The Quebec government has agreed to contribute $113 million in financial assistance to support the expansion project.

The purpose of the investment is to respond to the growing need for high-quality, low-carbon aluminum that is utilized in a wide range of sectors including transportation, construction, electronics, and consumer products. Rio Tinto's goal is to reduce its carbon footprint and create environmentally friendly aluminum for its customers by decarbonizing its value chains.

The plan consists of installing 96 latest AP60 furnaces that will raise the smelter's power by nearly 160,000 metric tonnes of first-rate aluminum annually.

Rio Tinto's Research and Development teams have created the AP60 smelting technology which is very effective and greatly reduces carbon emissions compared to the standard for the industry.

Rio Tinto's Canadian operations use hydropower, along with AP60, to create aluminium. This reduces greenhouse gas emissions by 50%, compared to the older technology used at the Arvida smelter. In fact, AP60 only produces one seventh of the greenhouse gas emissions per tonne, compared to the industry standard.

In addition, Rio Tinto is working together with the Canadian and Quebec governments to examine how they can use the ELYSIS zero carbon smelting technology in their Quebec factories.

Additionally, the corporation has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with the Canadian Government with the goal of enhancing supply chains for eco-friendly raw materials and assisting in reducing carbon emissions in the aluminum production supply chain.

Rio Tinto has shared a photo of the AP60 smelter operation.