Global mining and metals company Rio Tinto has announced a $1.1 billion investment to expand its AP60 low carbon aluminum smelter in Saguenay, Canada. The expansion will be supported by $113 million in financial aid from the Quebec government.
The investment aims to meet the increasing demand for low-carbon, high-quality aluminum used in various industries such as transportation, construction, electrical, and consumer goods. Rio Tinto also aims to decarbonize its value chains and offer low-carbon aluminum to its customers while reducing its own carbon footprint.
The project will involve the addition of 96 new AP60 pots, which will increase the smelter’s capacity by approximately 160,000 metric tonnes of primary aluminum per year.
The AP60 smelting technology, developed by Rio Tinto’s Research and Development teams, is highly efficient and significantly reduces carbon emissions compared to industry averages.
Combined with the hydropower employed at Rio Tinto’s Canadian operations, AP60 generates only one seventh of the greenhouse gas emissions per tonne of aluminium in comparison to the industry average, and reduces emissions by 50% when compared to the existing technology utilized at the Arvida smelter.
Furthermore, Rio Tinto is collaborating with the governments of Canada and Quebec to explore the implementation of the ELYSIS zero carbon smelting technology in its Quebec facilities.
The company has also signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Government of Canada to strengthen supply chains for low-carbon primary metals and support decarbonization efforts in the aluminum supply chain.
Source: PRESS RELEASE
Image of AP60 Smelter Operation: Rio Tinto