About Rio Tinto Alcan in BC
Rio Tinto Alcan has had a major presence in British Columbia for over half a century. Rio Tinto Alcan Primary Metal BC Operations is one of the largest manufacturing complexes in the province, and has been a significant contributor to economic and community sustainability in northern B.C.
Our aluminum smelter is located alongside a deep-water port immediately south of the community of Kitimat. It has an annual rated production capacity of 282,000 tonnes of value-added primary aluminum products that are shipped to numerous Pacific Rim markets.
The smelter uses hydroelectricity generated at its Kemano power station, which is powered by the waters of the Nechako Reservoir located further to the east.
While our main operations are centered along the northwest coast, Rio Tinto Alcan in British Columbia maintains infrastructure and a corporate presence across a large portion of northern B.C., and has environmental management responsibilities extending even further. Within B.C., the total direct economic contribution of its operations amounts to some $267.8 million annually (Figure in 2009 dollars - Economic Contributions for 2009 Report soon to be released).
Aluminum is versatile, lightweight, and infinitely recyclable. When compared to most metals, less energy is required to manufacture and transport products made from aluminum. Recycling aluminum uses only five per cent of the energy needed to produce primary metal, reducing total greenhouse gas emissions. Already among the world’s most widely used metals, aluminum is the material of choice for a diverse range of applications such as packaging, construction, transportation and aerospace.
Rio Tinto Alcan is the aluminum product group of Rio Tinto. Rio Tinto Alcan's four business units include: Bauxite and Alumina; Primary Metal - Europe, Middle East and Africa; Primary Metal - North America, and Primary Metal - Pacific. The Kitimat smelter is one of 23 smelters in the global network.
With 24,000 employees in 27 countries Rio Tinto Alcan is a global supplier of high-quality bauxite, alumina and primary aluminum. In the first half of 2010, Rio Tinto Alcan reported underlying earnings of US$358 million, producing 16.1 million tonnes of bauxite, 4.5 million tonnes of alumina and 1.8 million tonnes of aluminum. In Canada, with some 8,000 employees Rio Tinto Alcan has extensive operations in Quebec and British Columbia, including some of the lowest cost aluminum smelters in the world. The company is also an industry leader in aluminum production technology, and self-generated energy, particularly hydroelectric power.
