Rio Tinto's aluminium production increased in Q2, as its Kitimat, NZAS and Arvida smelters continued their ramp-ups.
In its latest financial update, the aluminium manufacturer said production increased by 1% from the previous quarter, to 841,000 tonnes.
It said its Kitimat, Canada was ramping up to nameplate capacity, with higher water reservoir levels supporting improved hydro power output.
The final two potlines at its Arvida, Quebec, Canada facility were closed this month (June) as planned, completing the transition to AP60 technology.
The report said the facility will increase AP60 capacity at the facility by 160,000 tonnes of primary aluminium a year with the addition of 96 new AP60 pots.
The smelter is expected to be fully ramped up as planned by the end of this year.
Commissioning started in May 2026, with system handovers continuing through staged verification to support the plant commissioning.
The $1.5 billion project includes $113 million of financial support from the Quebec government.
The company had previously stated that gross project costs had increased by $122m primarily due to challenges in construction productivity.
