Rio Tinto Alcan’s Expansion of Gove Alumina Refinery due End 2009

Rio Tinto Alcan is currently commissioning the 1.8 million tpy expansion of its Gove alumina refinery in Australia’s Northern Territory, according to a presentation by Steve Hodgson, president and CEO of the company’s bauxite and alumina business.

The expansion will lift capacity to 3.8 million tpy and the company is aiming to have Gove operating in a 3.4-3.8 million tpy range by the end of next year, he said.

The $2.3 billion project will place the expanded refinery in the second quartile of the industry cash cost curve, he added.

The expansion project at Gove has been running around one year late—commissioning was originally scheduled for the first quarter of 2007.

Source from Metals Insider