Alcoa Corp. plans to restart 268,000 metric tons per year (mtpy) of aluminum capacity at its Alumar smelter in São Luís, Brazil. The facility has been fully curtailed since 2015. The process to restart will begin immediately. The first molten metal is expected in the second quarter of 2022, and the full 268,000 mtpy of capacity is expected to be operational in the fourth quarter of 2022. The Alumar smelter restart will involve the hiring of more than 750 employees.

The Alumar smelter, which is jointly owned by a subsidiary of Alcoa and South32, will be powered with 100% renewable energy by 2024. It has three potlines with a total operating capacity of 447,000 metric tons, which includes Alcoa’s share of 268,000 metric tons. Alcoa Alumínio, a wholly owned subsidiary of Alcoa, owns 60% of the smelting and casting capacity; South32 holds the remaining 40%.

The cost of the restart is anticipated to be approximately $75 million. With this planned restart, Alcoa will have approximately 80% of its 2.99 million metric tons of global aluminum smelting capacity operating.