Bell Bay
From the General Manager
Welcome to the Rio Tinto Aluminium Bell Bay website. Here you will find information about our operations, our people and our community.
Our objective is to operate in Tasmania as an internationally competitive business, committed to the wellbeing of our staff, the environment and the community. We aim to achieve operating excellence and to maximise the value of existing assets. This includes meeting our sustainable development goals to ensure that every aspect of our business achieves a balance in environmental, economic and social objectives.
I hope that you will find the information of relevance and interest, and that it helps to provide another level of transparency about the way we conduct our business. Should you have any suggestions for improvement, please don’t hesitate to contact us with your ideas. They are always welcome!
Niels Kristensen
General Manager Operations
Operation overview
The Bell Bay smelter commenced production in 1955 as a joint venture between the Commonwealth and Tasmanian Governments. The smelter was the first built in the Southern Hemisphere primarily to overcome difficulties importing aluminium during wartime. Bell Bay was chosen as the location because of the available hydroelectric power and deep water facilities.
Rio Tinto Aluminium purchased the smelter in 1960, when production was about 12,000 tonnes per year. Since that time, the Bell Bay smelter has undergone many changes, continually striving for excellence. Significant investment in new technology and plant expansions has increased production capacity to its current production capacity.
Like many export-oriented industries, the Bell Bay smelter competes in a highly competitive global market. The price Bell Bay receives for metal is set by the London Metals Exchange. Competitively priced power therefore remains the sole reason for smelting aluminium in Tasmania, as almost all other raw materials are shipped in and virtually all product has to be shipped out. The Bell Bay smelter has a long term take-or-pay contract for 286MW of electricity.
Rio Tinto Aluminium Bell Bay produces primary aluminium products for domestic and export markets. The smelting process is the third stage in the aluminium production process. Click here to read more about the smelting process.
Location
Rio Tinto Aluminium Bell Bay is located on the Tamar River near George Town in Northern Tasmania. George Town is Australia’s oldest town. It was settled on 11 November 1804 and was Australia’s third permanent settlement after Sydney and Hobart.