Rio Tinto's Kitimat aluminium smelter is finally back in full production after a 17-month restart following a lengthy interruption caused by a strike in 2021. Rio Tinto general manager Simon Pascoe stated that the accomplishment is noteworthy for the community and his 1,100-member crew. The smelter has achieved its maximum production capacity of 432,000 tonnes of aluminium per year, marking the first instance of such achievement since 2018. Rio Tinto also plans to celebrate the smelter's 70th anniversary next year.
"We've not just put ourselves back on where we left before the strike. We're actually operating at our plant's full nameplate capacity. It's a testament to the dedication and hard work of every individual on the team," stated Simon Pascoe.
Pascoe assumed the position previously held by Affonso Bizon in November of the preceding year, following the end of a two-month strike in 2021 that significantly reduced operations to a mere 25 per cent. The decision to implement the downgrade was deemed necessary due to safety concerns. However, the subsequent process of restoring the system to its full capability was characterised by many intricate factors.
"Two things are happening. We've got the incline up because we're adding parts every week. So the intensity is increasing, but also the speed of how we have to operate increases. Where we're at now is we've been able to hold the speed of the treadmill and we've been able to now reduce the incline because we're now at full operation," said Rio Tinto general manager Simon Pascoe.
