Alcoa, Rio Tinto Announced Industrial-Scale Demonstration of Carbon-Free Smelting Technology

SEATTLE (Scrap Monster): Alcoa Corporation announced further progress on the pathbreaking ELYSIS technology. The partnership between Alcoa and Rio Tinto announced plans to launch the first industrial-scale demonstration of the technology, which was initially launched in 2018. The first production is expected by around 2027, said the company press release.

The ELYSIS technology, aimed at completely eliminating greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the traditional smelting process, was first developed at the Alcoa Technical Center (ATC) outside of Pittsburgh. The technology will further improve upon Alcoa’s already lower carbon products.

The proposed demonstration project is scheduled to occur at Arvida in Quebec, Canada. It comprises of a total of 10 ELYSIS smelting pots operating at approximately 100 kiloamperes (kA). The Pittsburgh-based aluminum manufacturer will have right to purchase up to 40% of the metal produced from the demonstration at Arvida.

Commenting on the development, William F. (Bill) Oplinger, President and Chief Executive Officer of Alcoa Corporation noted that the company is proud to progress the technology to its next phase within the ELYSIS partnership. The technology ensures that smelting of aluminum can be done without direct carbon emissions, he added.

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