By Katherine Hamilton

Rio Tinto started commissioning its $1.5 billion AP60 smelter expansion in Quebec, Canada.

The Canadian mining company said Friday the move marks a milestone for the deployment of its aluminum-smelting technology.

The start-up, which began in March, is expected to be completed by the end of 2026 with all new 96 pots operating, Rio Tinto said.

This will increase the plant's production capacity by about 160,000 metric tons of primary aluminium each year, for a total of 220,000 metric tons produced with the AP60 technology.

The AP60 technology is a low-carbon technology which generates fewer greenhouse-gas emissions per ton of aluminum than the industry average.

The expansion, along with the planned aluminium-recycling center at Arvida, are expected to more than offset the loss of production from the closure of older Arvida portrooms. The closures are set to be completed in June.

The expansion will also support 100 permanent jobs and help consolidate positions across the supply chain. More than 1,500 jobs were created during peak construction.

Write to Katherine Hamilton at katherine.hamilton@wsj.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

May 29, 2026 11:57 ET (15:57 GMT)

Copyright (c) 2026 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.