Rio Tinto & Alcoa¡¯s joint venture ELYSIS to set up new research centre in Quebec

ELYSIS, the joint-venture technology company of Rio Tinto and Alcoa, announced yesterday that it chose Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean region in Quebec for setting up its new research and development facility. It will indirectly employ more than 25 experts when fully operational, said the company on its website.

The ELYSIS team is working to commercial a breakthrough technology by 2024 that will eliminate all direct greenhouse gases (GHGs) from the traditional aluminium smelting process, producing pure oxygen instead. The new research and development facility is expected to be fully operational in the second half of 2020.

ELYSIS said it chose Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean region for its new research centre since the place is known for having expertise in the aluminium sector. Moreover, it receives financial backing from both the Quebec and Canadian governments.

The ELYSIS team also said it would continue to work closely with the Alcoa Technical Centre where this patent-protected technology ELYSISTM was invented and producing aluminium since 2009. The Alcoa Technical Centre provides support to ELYSIS on the proprietary anode and cathode materials that are essential to this advanced smelting process.

Alf Barrios, chief executive of Rio Tinto Aluminium, said: “This new technology can play an important role in helping to address the climate change challenge by delivering carbon free aluminium smelting. We are proud to be part of this pioneering project that could create significant value and allow customers to meet the growing consumer demand for responsible products.”

Vincent Christ, Chief Executive Officer of Elysis, said: “With the development of this research centre, we can proudly root our company in Québec, and in Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean in particular. Our team is enthusiastic about working collaboratively to refine our technology so we can help bring the aluminium industry to new levels and make it even more sustainable.”

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