Rio Tinto Inks 5-Year Bio Pellet Deal with SuperChar to Cut Coal Use at Gladstone Refineries

Published: Jul 30, 2026 09:33

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[SMM Aluminum Express News] Rio Tinto has signed a five-year offtake agreement with Australian bioenergy company SuperChar to supply locally produced bio pellets for its Gladstone alumina refineries, with deliveries scheduled to begin in 2028. The agreement follows operational trials showing bio pellets could replace up to 30% of the coal used to generate steam in refinery boilers, supporting Rio Tinto's efforts to reduce fossil fuel consumption in alumina refining. SuperChar plans to build a bio pellet production facility in the Gladstone region with an initial capacity of 35,000 tonnes per year using locally grown bana grass as feedstock. At full contract volumes, the project could reduce Rio Tinto's reported Scope 1 emissions by up to 90,000 tonnes of CO₂ equivalent annually, while Rio Tinto will initially deploy the bio pellets at the Yarwun refinery before expanding to Queensland Alumina Ltd, subject to approvals and operational readiness.

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