Rio Tinto Alcan expanding Quebec plant

Rio Tinto Alcan plans to invest $10-million （U.S.） to expand a bauxite residue containment site at its alumina refinery in Jonquiere, Que.

The global miner that bought Alcan in 2007 says the expansion at the Vaudreuil Works will help extend the life of the plant.

Work will begin on the upgrade at the end of November and will be carried out over three years.

The Vaudreuil Works is the largest inorganic chemicals centre in Canada, producing 1.5 million tonnes of alumina and specialty chemicals each year.

Rio Tinto Alcan restarted some idled production capacity at the plant in September after it had been reduced by 25 per cent early this year to cope with a sharp drop in global demand for industrial metals, such as aluminum.