Rio Tinto Expands Its Sustainable
Aluminum Production
Rio Tinto will invest $1.1 billion (CAN$1.4 billion) to expand its high-tech AP60 aluminum smelter equipped with low-carbon technology at Complexe Jonquière in Canada.
The total investment includes approximately $113 million (CAN$150 million) of financial support from the Quebec government.
This expansion will coincide with the gradual closure of potrooms at the Arvida smelter on the same site and will enable Rio Tinto to continue meeting customers’ demand for low-carbon, high-quality aluminum for use in transportation, construction, electrical and consumer goods.
Developed by Rio Tinto’s Research and Development teams, the AP60 smelting technology is amongst the most efficient and lowest carbon technology currently available at commercial scale.
When combined with the hydropower used at Rio Tinto’s operations in Canada, it generates one seventh of greenhouse gases per tonne of aluminum when compared with the industry average, and half the emissions when compared to the technology currently employed at the Arvida smelter.
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