Rio Tinto and Hydro have started a consultation process to permanently close Dutch anode producer Aluchemie.

Aluchemie is a stand-alone anode producer located near Rotterdam in the Netherlands, with 220 employees and owned by global metals and mining company Rio Tinto Alcan (53%) and global aluminium and energy company Hydro (47%).

The plant was opened in 1966 and has a total production capacity of more than 500,000 tonnes per year, but annual production has been reduced to 215,000 tonnes as four out of its seven anode baking furnaces have already been permanently closed.

A company statement read: “The close-down process will include consultation processes with employee representatives and unions, as well as key external stakeholders such as environmental authorities and landowner regarding the site remediation process. 

“The plant is currently expected to close toward the end of 2021 and follows a thorough strategic review to explore alternatives to closing Aluchemie.”

Anodes are high-grade blocks of carbon, used in aluminium manufacturing (smelting).

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