Japanese trading house Sumitomo Corporation and Australian miner Rio Tinto have signed a letter of intent to study the possibility of sustainable alumina production at Rio Tinto’s Yarwun refinery in Gladstone.
The facility is expected to produce hydrogen for the Gladstone hydrogen ecosystem. Kellie Parker, chief executive Rio Tinto, Australia, noted on Aug 24, that the company plans to use the gas in-house at the refinery and Sumitomo will also supply it to its industrial partners.
With this project in place, Rio Tinto will meet its CO2 reduction target of 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality by 2050.
Sumitomo has already started working on the project design and preliminary construction planning. Additionally, this project will add more jobs in the area and improve other economic opportunities.