Rio Tinto announced on Monday that it would invest $1.1 billion in expanding its "low-carbon" aluminum smelter in Quebec, Canada.
The investment, supported by $113 million from the Canadian government, is expected to increase annual capacity by approximately 160,000 metric tonnes of primary aluminum — enough to power 400,000 electric cars. Construction is set to span two-and-a-half years, with the commissioning of the new pots projected to begin in the first half of 2026 and the smelter expected to be fully operational by the end of that year.
"This is the most significant investment in our aluminum 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," CEO Jakob Stausholm noted. Rio Tinto and the government have also signed a Memorandum of Understanding to bolster supply chains for low-carbon primary metals, critical minerals, and other value-added products.
