• Rio Tinto has started commissioning its $1.5 billion AP60 smelter expansion at Complexe Arvida in Quebec.
• The project will add about 160,000 metric tonnes of annual primary aluminum capacity once all 96 new pots are operating.
• AP60 technology uses hydropower in Canada and produces about one-sixth of the industry average emissions per tonne.

Rio Tinto has started commissioning its $1.5 billion AP60 smelter expansion at Complexe Arvida, placing Quebec at the center of a new phase in low-carbon aluminum production.

The start-up began in March and is expected to run through the end of 2026. By then, all 96 new pots should be operating. The expansion will lift annual primary aluminum capacity by about 160,000 metric tonnes. Total production using AP60 technology will reach 220,000 metric tonnes a year.

For industrial customers, the project matters beyond Canada. Aluminum sits inside transport systems, buildings, power infrastructure and consumer goods. As buyers face tighter carbon disclosure rules, lower-emissions supply is moving from preference to procurement priority.

Quebec Anchors A Strategic Metals Upgrade

The AP60 expansion forms part of Rio Tinto’s wider modernization of its Quebec aluminum operations. It also helps offset the loss of output from the closure of older Arvida potrooms, expected to be completed in June.

The company said the expansion and the planned aluminum recycling centre at Arvida will more than offset the production loss. That is important for North American buyers seeking secure supply.

The project will directly support about 100 permanent local jobs. It also helps consolidate roles across the supply chain. At peak construction, more than 1,500 jobs were created. Rio Tinto said the project generated more than $1 billion in economic benefits for Quebec through spending with contractors and suppliers.

For Quebec, the investment links climate policy with industrial policy. It supports a strategic sector while protecting manufacturing capacity in a more volatile trade environment.

AP60 Cuts Emissions And Fine Particulates

Rio Tinto’s AP60 technology was developed by the company’s research and development teams. It is among the most efficient and lowest-carbon aluminum smelting technologies available at commercial scale.

When paired with hydropower at Rio Tinto’s Canadian operations, AP60 generates about 1.6 tonnes of CO2e per tonne of aluminum. That compares with about 3.2 tonnes for the older Arvida technology and 10.9 tonnes for the industry average.

That gives the new system one-sixth of the industry average emissions per tonne. It also produces half the emissions of the technology used at the adjacent older Arvida smelter. Rio Tinto expects the technology to cut fine particulate matter by up to 90%.

Rio Tinto Aluminium & Lithium Chief Executive Jérôme Pécresse said: “For 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’s ability to deliver world-class, low-carbon technologies.

The 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® 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.”

Government Support Links Climate And Competitiveness

The expansion also supports the move toward carbon-free aluminum electrolysis. That technology is being developed by ELYSIS in Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean, Quebec. The partnership includes Rio Tinto and has support from the Government of Canada through the Strategic Innovation Fund.

A demonstration plant is being built in Quebec with support from the Government of Quebec through Investissement Quebec. The technology aims to eliminate all direct greenhouse gas emissions from aluminum smelting. It produces oxygen as a by-product.

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Canada’s Minister of Industry The Honorable Mélanie Joly said: “For 100 years, Rio Tinto has been a cornerstone of Quebec’s 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 – strengthening our aluminum industry, advancing world leading innovation and ensuring Canadian workers remain at the forefront of a more resilient economy.”

Premier of Quebec Christine Fréchette said: “Despite the economic uncertainty related to U.S. tariffs, today’s inauguration once again demonstrates that our government and Rio Tinto believe in Quebec’s potential. Today, we are securing the future of Quebec’s 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.”

What Executives And Investors Should Watch

For C-suite leaders, the project shows how industrial decarbonization is moving through capital allocation, technology deployment and regional policy support.

For investors, the focus is execution. Rio Tinto is scaling lower-carbon primary aluminum at commercial capacity while advancing recycling and next-generation electrolysis. That combination may matter as customers seek lower Scope 3 exposure in hard-to-abate value chains.

For governments, Quebec’s aluminum sector offers a case study in climate-aligned competitiveness. The province is using hydropower, public support and industrial expertise to defend a strategic manufacturing base.

The global aluminum market still faces cost pressure, trade uncertainty and rising climate scrutiny. Quebec’s AP60 expansion shows how one region is trying to turn those pressures into industrial advantage.

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