Introduction

Overview

Alcan B.C. is one of the largest industrial complexes in the province. Its focal point is the Kitimat smelter – also referred to as Kitimat Works – located on the northwest coast, at the head of Douglas Channel and immediately to the south of the community of Kitimat.

This smelter has a rated capacity of 275,000 tonnes of aluminum, making it among the larger primary metal production facilities in Alcan’s global network. The main raw material used at the smelter is alumina ore, which is imported from Australia by ship.

Alumina is dissolved into a bath and molten aluminum is produced using an electrolytic reduction process. This process takes place within the more than 900 steel cells – or “pots” – located in the smelter’s potrooms, and uses large amounts of electricity.

Molten aluminum is then transported to one of two casting centres located within the smelter, where it is temporarily stored in holding furnaces. Various alloys are added to provide specific characteristics such as strength or corrosion resistance. The aluminum is then poured into moulds and chilled with water, forming solid ingots of specific shapes and sizes, consistent with customer specifications.

Electricity for the Kitimat smelter is generated at the Kemano powerhouse, a hydroelectric generating station with a sustainable production of about 790 megawatts in normal water years. This generating station uses water impounded in the 91,000-hectare Nechako Reservoir in north-central British Columbia.

The Kitimat smelter produces three types of ingots: value-added sheet and extrusion ingot (in rectangular and cylindrical forms, respectively), and trilock ingots which are sold to customers for re-melting. Products are shipped to markets in North America and Asia, with the United States, Korea and Japan being the most common destinations.

Alcan B.C. is part of Alcan Primary Metal – one of four business groups which make up the world-wide operations of Alcan Inc. Kitimat Works is one of 22 smelters in this global network. Headquartered in Montreal, Alcan Inc. is a multinational, market-driven company and a global leader in aluminum and packaging, as well as aluminum recycling. Alcan Inc. employs approximately 70,000 people in 55 countries and regions around the globe.