North America Expands Aluminum Investment Across Smelting, Refining and Low-Carbon Projects

North America’s aluminum sector is attracting major investment across primary production, alumina refining, recycling and lower-carbon technology in 2026, with projects advancing in the United States and Canada even as some developments face permitting and construction delays.

By Paul Ploumis
Published September 17, 2026

MONTREAL (Scrap Monster): North America’s aluminum industry is undergoing a broad investment cycle spanning primary smelting, alumina refining, recycling and lower-carbon production technology.

Projects in the United States and Canada are targeting additional domestic production, stronger supply-chain security and new processing capacity, although several remain subject to permitting, financing and development risks.

Oklahoma Smelter Could More Than Double U.S. Primary Output

Century Aluminum and Emirates Global Aluminium are jointly developing a new primary aluminum smelter at the Tulsa Port of Inola in Oklahoma.

The approximately $4 billion project is designed to produce 750,000 tonnes of primary aluminum annually. If completed as planned, it would become the first new U.S. primary aluminum smelter since 1980 and would more than double current domestic production.

EGA holds a 60% interest in the joint venture, while Century owns 40%.

The companies had targeted construction to begin by the end of 2026, with first production before the end of the decade. However, the project is facing new uncertainty after the Town of Inola extended a heavy-industry construction moratorium through April 2027.

The developers continue to pursue the project, but the local moratorium, permitting process and related legal disputes could affect the construction schedule.

Century Brings Mt. Holly Back to Full Production

Century has already completed another major U.S. capacity expansion at its Mt. Holly smelter in South Carolina.

The company invested approximately $50 million to restart an idled section of the facility, adding more than 50,000 tonnes of annual production capacity.

The expansion returned Mt. Holly to full production for the first time in more than a decade and increased total U.S. primary aluminum production by approximately 10%.

Gramercy Investment Supports Alumina and Gallium Production

Another major U.S. investment is underway at Atlantic Alumina Company’s Gramercy facility in Louisiana, the country’s only operating alumina refinery.

A $450 million strategic partnership involving Atlantic Alumina, the U.S. government, Concord Resources and private investment is intended to sustain and increase domestic alumina production.

The project also includes development of what is expected to become the first large-scale primary gallium production circuit in the United States.

The investment strengthens an important upstream part of the domestic aluminum supply chain because alumina is the principal feedstock used to produce primary aluminum.

Century and Brimstone Plan Domestic Mine-to-Metal Supply Chain

Century is also working with U.S.-based materials company Brimstone on a proposed domestic mine-to-metal aluminum supply chain.

Under a memorandum of understanding announced in June, Brimstone plans to supply Century with smelter-grade alumina produced from domestically sourced, non-bauxite feedstock.

Brimstone is developing a commercial demonstration plant in Reno, Nevada, targeted for operation in 2028. A larger industrial facility is planned to ultimately produce approximately 350,000 tonnes of smelter-grade alumina annually.

If commercialized as planned, the supply chain would reduce reliance on imported bauxite-derived alumina for U.S. primary aluminum production.

Canada Backs ELYSIS Low-Carbon Smelting Technology

Canada is focusing a significant part of its aluminum investment on lower-carbon production technology.

The federal government committed C$100 million in May to support a Rio Tinto project deploying ELYSIS inert-anode aluminum electrolysis technology.

The funding supports a broader C$440 million demonstration project designed to validate the technology at industrial scale.

ELYSIS technology replaces the carbon anodes traditionally used in aluminum smelting, targeting the elimination of direct carbon dioxide emissions from the electrolysis process.

Rio Tinto Adds 160,000 Tonnes of AP60 Capacity in Quebec

Rio Tinto is also ramping up its expanded AP60 smelter at Complexe Arvida in Quebec.

Commissioning began in March 2026, with the company announcing the milestone in May.

The US$1.5 billion expansion adds 96 AP60 pots and approximately 160,000 tonnes of annual primary aluminum capacity.

Once fully ramped up by the end of 2026, total production using AP60 technology is expected to reach approximately 220,000 tonnes per year.

The expansion is part of Rio Tinto’s broader transition away from older Arvida smelting capacity toward newer lower-carbon production technology.

Recycling Capacity Also Expands

Primary production is only part of the regional investment cycle.

Rio Tinto is developing a new aluminum recycling centre at Arvida with approximately 30,000 tonnes of annual capacity, while Hydro has also invested in additional U.S. recycling and casting capacity for automotive applications.

The combination of primary production and secondary aluminum investment reflects growing demand for both newly produced and recycled metal across automotive, construction, energy and other industrial markets.

Thor Project Advances Non-Bauxite Alumina Development

Canadian Energy Metals is advancing another potential source of domestic alumina through its Thor Project in Saskatchewan.

In September, the company announced proof-of-concept for producing smelter-grade alumina from the project’s non-bauxite black shale resource.

Testing produced material that CEM said met the purity and specifications of conventional smelter-grade alumina produced through the Bayer refining process.

The company has now started a prefeasibility study and is advancing engineering work for a future demonstration facility.

Alcoa Pursues Broader Global Upstream Expansion

U.S.-based Alcoa is separately pursuing a major expansion of its global upstream portfolio through its proposed acquisition of South32’s bauxite, alumina and aluminum assets.

The transaction carries approximately $4.1 billion in upfront consideration and includes mining, refining and smelting interests in Australia, South Africa and Brazil.

The deal would expand Alcoa’s global mine-to-metal platform, although it would not directly add new North American production capacity. Closing is expected in the first half of 2027, subject to shareholder, regulatory and other approvals.

North American Capacity Growth Still Faces Execution Risks

The scale of investment points to renewed interest in North American aluminum production after decades of declining U.S. primary smelting capacity.

However, the projects are at different stages of development. Some, including Century’s Mt. Holly restart and Rio Tinto’s AP60 expansion, have already begun adding metal to the market. Others remain dependent on permitting, financing, electricity supply, construction schedules and regulatory approvals.

The resulting investment cycle is therefore broader than a simple increase in smelting capacity. It includes efforts to rebuild upstream alumina supply, expand recycling, develop lower-carbon technology and strengthen regional aluminum supply chains.