It produced 2.3Mt, 6% higher than the same quarter in 2009 when production cutbacks were made.
Its third quarter aluminium production was 929kt, 2% lower than the same quarter of 2009, driven by lower production at its Laterrière, Quebec, Canada smelter. This was due to a power outage in July which forced the temporary closure of one of the plant’s two potlines.
The process of gradually restarting the 216 pots on the suspended production line began in early August 2010 and the smelter returned to full production at the end of September. The loss of metal production during the shutdown was about 25kt.
Its bauxite production was 8.6Mt, 17% higher y-o-y, with increased production at its Weipa, Australia and Sangaredi, Guinea sites due to increased demand.
It expects 2010 full year aluminium production at 3.8Mt and alumina production at 9.4Mt.
The company approved a modernisation plan of its ISAL, Iceland smelter in September, which will increase production from 190kt to 230kt between April 2012 and July 2014. The plan includes $140m in a leading-edge casting facility to produced value-added billet.
Order of Magnitude work continued at its Amargosa bauxite project in Brazil. The project is on track to be handed over to Rio Tinto Alcan by the end of 2011.