{"id":13284,"date":"2026-05-29T20:17:00","date_gmt":"2026-05-29T18:17:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/stocks-future.com\/?guid=61e6fa934a1adc313c5d3901e5f52b8a"},"modified":"2026-05-29T20:17:00","modified_gmt":"2026-05-29T18:17:00","slug":"rio-tinto-commissions-1-5-billion-ap60-smelter-expansion-in-quebec","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/stocks-future.com\/?p=13284","title":{"rendered":"Rio Tinto commissions $1.5 billion AP60 smelter expansion in Quebec"},"content":{"rendered":"

SAGUENAY, Canada--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Rio Tinto has successfully started commissioning its US$1.5 billion AP60 smelter expansion at Complexe Arvida in Quebec, marking a major milestone for the deployment of its state-of-the-art, low-carbon aluminium smelting technology.<\/p><\/a><\/a>

\nThe start-up, which began in March, is expected to be completed by the end of 2026 with all 96 new pots operating. This will increase the plant\u2019s production capacity by approximately 160,000 metric tonnes of primary aluminium annually for a total of 220,000 metric tonnes produced with the AP60 technology.<\/p>

\nThe AP60 expansion, together with the planned aluminium recycling centre at Arvida, will more than offset the loss of production associated with the closure of the older Arvida potrooms, which is expected to be completed in June.<\/p>

\nThe expansion will directly support approximately 100 permanent high-quality jobs locally and help consolidate positions across the supply chain. During its peak construction period, more than 1,500 jobs were created and the project generated more than $1 billion in economic benefits for the province of Quebec through spending with contractors and suppliers.<\/p>

\nRepresenting the next chapter of Rio Tinto\u2019s century-long history in Quebec, it strengthens its ability to supply customers in North America with low-carbon, high-quality aluminium for transportation, construction, electrical applications and consumer goods.<\/p>

\nDeveloped by Rio Tinto\u2019s Research and Development teams, the AP60 technology is among the most efficient and lowest carbon technology currently available, at commercial scale. When combined with the hydropower used at Rio Tinto\u2019s operations in Canada, it generates one-sixth of the greenhouse gas emissions per tonne of aluminium, when compared with the industry average, and half the emissions of the technology currently used at the adjacent older Arvida smelter1<\/sup>. It will deliver significant improvements, including an expected reduction of up to 90% in fine particulate matter.<\/p>

\nThe AP60 expansion supports the transition to carbon-free aluminium electrolysis technology being developed by ELYSIS in Saguenay\u2013Lac-Saint-Jean, Qu\u00e9bec, a partnership that includes Rio Tinto. Supported by the Government of Canada, through the Strategic Innovation Fund, a demonstration plant is being built in Quebec in partnership with the Government of Quebec, through Investissement Quebec, to advance this breakthrough technology, which eliminates all direct greenhouse gas emissions from aluminium smelting and produces oxygen as a by-product.<\/p>

\nRio Tinto Aluminium & Lithium Chief Executive J\u00e9r\u00f4me P\u00e9cresse said: \u201cFor 100 years, Quebec has been at the heart of the aluminium industry, and with AP60, Rio Tinto is now strongly positioned for decades to come with one of the most advanced smelting technologies operating at commercial scale. This milestone brings into production the first major primary aluminium project in the West in more than a decade and demonstrates Rio Tinto\u2019s ability to deliver world-class, low-carbon technologies.<\/p>

\n\u201cThe newly expanded AP60 smelter reinforces our competitiveness and the offer for our customers position in North America increases the efficiency of our Quebec operations and reduces our carbon emissions by approximately 290,000 tonnes per year compared to the old Arvida smelter. Together with the construction of our ELYSIS\u00ae demonstration plant in Quebec, using the first licence of this breakthrough technology, Rio Tinto is demonstrating its value as a secure, innovative and reliable supplier of low-carbon aluminium the world needs.\u201d<\/p>

\nCanada\u2019s Minister of Industry The Honorable M\u00e9lanie Joly said: \u201cFor 100 years, Rio Tinto has been a cornerstone of Quebec\u2019s industrial strength, creating good jobs and supporting communities across the country. Today, as global competition intensifies, our government is proud to work alongside partners like Rio Tinto to build on that legacy \u2013 strengthening our aluminum industry, advancing world leading innovation and ensuring Canadian workers remain at the forefront of a more resilient economy.\u201d<\/p>

\nPremier of Quebec Christine Fr\u00e9chette said: \u201cDespite the economic uncertainty related to U.S. tariffs, today\u2019s inauguration once again demonstrates that our government and Rio Tinto believe in Quebec\u2019s potential. Today, we are securing the future of Quebec\u2019s aluminium industry by ensuring the modernization and gradual decarbonization of a sector that is vital to our economy. More than ever, Quebec is establishing itself as a global leader in sustainable aluminium and a true technological trailblazer.\u201d<\/p>

\n1<\/sup> The AP60 technology generates approximately 1.6 tonnes of CO2<\/sub>e per tonne of aluminium produced, compared to approximately 3.2 tonnes of CO2<\/sub>e per tonne of aluminium for the Arvida smelter\u2019s current technology, and 10,9 tonnes of CO2<\/sub>e per tonne of aluminium for the industry average.<\/p> Contacts<\/b>

\nPlease direct all enquiries to malika.cherry@riotinto.com<\/b><\/a> \/ <\/b>media.enquiries@riotinto.com<\/b><\/a><\/p>

\nM<\/b>edia Relations,<\/b>United Kingdom<\/b>Matthew Klar<\/b>M <\/b>+44 7796 630 637\nDavid Outhwaite<\/b>M<\/b> +44 7787 597 493\n\nMedia Relations,<\/b>Australia<\/b>Matt Chambers<\/b>M<\/b> +61 433 525 739\nAlyesha Anderson\nM <\/b>+61 434 868 118\nRachel Pupazzoni<\/b>M <\/b>+61 438 875 469\nBruce Tobin<\/b>M <\/b>+61 419 103 454\n\nMedia Relations,<\/b>Canada<\/b>Malika Cherry<\/b>M<\/b> +1 418 592 7293\nVanessa Damha<\/b>M <\/b>+1 514 715 2152\n\nMedia Relations,<\/b>US & Latin America<\/b>Jesse Riseborough<\/b>M<\/b> +1 202 394 9480\n\nInvestor Relations,<\/b>United Kingdom<\/b>Rachel Arellano\nM <\/b>+44 7584 609 644\nDavid Ovington<\/b>M<\/b> +44 7920 010 978\nLaura Brooks<\/b>M<\/b> +44 7826 942 797\nWeiwei Hu<\/b>M<\/b> +44 7825 907 230\n\nInvestor Relations,<\/b>Australia<\/b>Tom Gallop<\/b>M<\/b> +61 439 353 948\nEddie Gan-Och\nM <\/b>+61 477 599 714\n\nRio Tinto plc<\/b>6 St James\u2019s Square\nLondon SW1Y 4AD\nUnited Kingdom\nT<\/b> +44 20 7781 2000\nRegistered in England\nNo. 719885\n\nRio Tinto Limited<\/b>Level 43, 120 Collins Street\nMelbourne 3000\nAustralia\nT<\/b> +61 3 9283 3333\nRegistered in Australia\nABN 96 004 458 404<\/p>

\nriotinto.com<\/a><\/b><\/p>

\nCategory: Saguenay<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

SAGUENAY, Canada–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Rio Tinto has successfully started commissioning its US$1.5 billion AP60 smelter expansion at Complexe Arvida in Quebec, marking a major milestone for the deployment of its state-of-the-art, low-carbon aluminium smelt…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-13284","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-infos-businesswire"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/stocks-future.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13284","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/stocks-future.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/stocks-future.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stocks-future.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stocks-future.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=13284"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/stocks-future.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13284\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":13285,"href":"https:\/\/stocks-future.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13284\/revisions\/13285"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/stocks-future.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=13284"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stocks-future.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=13284"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stocks-future.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=13284"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}