RIO Starts $1.5B AP60 Smelter Expansion in Quebec, Targets End-2026 Completion

• Commissioning began in March, with all 96 new pots expected to be operational by the end of 2026.
• The expansion will add about 160,000 metric tonnes of annual primary aluminum capacity using advanced AP60 technology.
• The project supports long-term regional employment and generated over $1 billion in economic activity for Quebec during construction.

Shares of Rio Tinto (RIO) were up in morning trade after the company announced that it has started commissioning its $1.5-billion AP60 smelter expansion at Complexe Arvida in Quebec. This marks a major milestone for the deployment of its state-of-the-art, low-carbon aluminium smelting technology.

At the time of writing, RIO stocks had gained around 1%.

RIO Expansion To Boost Aluminum Capacity By 160,000 Tonnes

The commissioning process is expected to be completed by the end of 2026. Once fully operational, the expansion will add around 160,000 metric tonnes of annual primary aluminum production capacity, bringing total output using AP60 technology to about 220,000 metric tonnes per year.

The project is expected to support around 100 permanent jobs in the region. During peak construction, it created more than 1,500 jobs and generated over $1 billion in economic benefits for Quebec.

Rio Tinto said the expansion marks a new chapter in its long-standing presence in Quebec and will strengthen its ability to supply North American customers with low-carbon aluminum used in transportation, construction, electrical applications and consumer products.

RIO Expects Up To 90% Reduction In Fine Particulate Emissions

Rio Tinto said its AP60 technology is among the most efficient and low-carbon aluminum production technologies available at commercial scale. Powered by hydropower in Canada, the technology produces about one-sixth of the greenhouse gas emissions of the industry average and roughly half the emissions of the older technology used at the nearby Arvida smelter. The company also expects the AP60 expansion to reduce fine particulate matter emissions by up to 90%.

RIO Stock: What Retail Sentiment Says

Retail sentiment on Stocktwits for RIO has been “neutral” on Thursday, but message volume has been “high,” unchanged in the past 24 hours.

The RIO stock has gained over 75% in the past 12 months.

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