Rio Tinto Alcan is in talks with the Algerian government about building an aluminium
plant in the North African country.
Spokesman Stefano Bertolli confirms the Montreal-based division of Rio Tinto is
examining “an opportunity to develop in Algeria”, but says the process is in the early
stages.
He says new aluminium projects typically have an annual capacity of 460,000
tonnes, which can be doubled in a second phase.
The company is focused on low-cost production and is mainly attracted to the
Middle East by cheap natural gas prices.
It opened a 360,000-tonne smelter last year in Oman in which it has a 20%
stake.
Bertolli says the possible construction of a smelter in Algeria won’t have any
impact on the company’s development plans in Quebec, notably an AP50 pilot
project in Saguenay.