Rio Tinto, the London-based mining and metals major, announced on Wednesday a partnership with Swedish investment firm Vargas, Mitsubishi Corp. and other local stakeholders to explore the creation of a low-carbon aluminum facility in Finland.

The mining giant’s aluminum operations in Quebec started when it acquired Canadian company Alcan in 2007, leading to the formation of Rio Tinto Aluminum as a significant division within the company.

According to a statement, the company will provide the partnership with access to its proven industry-leading AP60 technology and assist in the first deployment of an aluminum smelter outside Quebec, Canada.

Developed by Rio Tinto, AP60 is amongst the most efficient aluminum smelting technologies currently available on a commercial scale.

As a first step, the project will conduct a feasibility study and environmental impact assessment for a potential greenfield aluminum project in Kokkola, Finland.

The project, if successful, would be the first primary aluminum development in continental Europe for over 30 years.

Together with Fortum, the leading carbon-free energy provider in the Nordics, the project will assess sourcing competitive low-carbon energy from existing and new production assets.

Other local and industry partners include the Finnish Industry Investment and international technology leaders.

“We aim at being a significant investor and off-taker in this partnership, which is aligned with our strategy to strengthen our global leadership in low-carbon aluminum,” said Rio Tinto Aluminium CEO Jerome Pecresse.

“Combining our AP60 technology with electricity not based on fossil fuels presents an attractive opportunity to provide low-carbon aluminum, which will boost Europe’s industrial base and support the manufacturing capabilities required for the energy transition,” he added.

As the demand for sustainable materials continues to rise, this partnership could play a pivotal role in shaping the future of the aluminum industry in Europe.

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