Rio Tinto secures Bell Bay Aluminium operations to 2031

Rio Tinto has reached an agreement with the Tasmanian Government and the Australian Government to keep its Bell Bay Aluminium smelter operating through 31 December 2031. The facility is 100% owned by Rio Tinto and is located in northern Tasmania.

Under the new arrangements, power provider Hydro Tasmania will supply electricity to the smelter until the end of 2031. Bell Bay's current power agreement was scheduled to expire on 31 December 2026. The Australian and Tasmanian governments will also provide additional support to help maintain the site's international competitiveness as Tasmania's energy system evolves.

Founded in 1955 as the first aluminium smelter in the Southern Hemisphere, Bell Bay Aluminium produces around 190,000 tonnes of aluminium each year. The facility employs approximately 550 full-time workers, supports more than 1,200 indirect jobs, and spends about A$260 million annually across 180 suppliers.

Jérôme Pécresse, Chief Executive of Rio Tinto Aluminium & Lithium, stated that the agreements provide an operating pathway through 2031 and certainty for employees, suppliers, and the local community after 71 years of operations in the region. Across Australia, Rio Tinto's integrated aluminium supply chain directly employs over 5,000 people.