Global miner and aluminum maker, Rio Tinto plans to invest $51mn to upgrade its Vaudreuil alumina refinery in Québec, Canada.
The investment will go towards optimizing operations by installing a new centralized control room and energy-efficient buildings. The project is expected to be completed in 2021, according to media reports.
The new investment is part of Rio Tinto’s C$250mn ($190.52mn) plan announced two years ago to increase the life of the refinery beyond 2022.
The plan also includes a recycling program for the bauxite waste generated in the alumina making process. In October, Rio Tinto announced a partnership with Lafarge Canada to recycle alumina waste from its aluminum potline plants at the facility, to produce cement. The company has a similar plan for its bauxite waste, media reports indicated.
($1=C$1.31)