Rio Tinto invests in autonomous drilling and $1.5B low carbon aluminium smelter in Quebec

Rio Tinto is pushing into two areas that matter for carbon reduction: autonomous drilling and low carbon aluminium. The company partnered with Sandvik to deploy automated drill rigs for open pit mining, aiming to improve productivity and safety while cutting fuel use. Separately, Rio Tinto commissioned a $1.5 billion low carbon aluminium smelter expansion in Quebec, targeting demand for greener metals. For carbon markets and industrial decarbonization, this signals where capital is flowing. The Quebec smelter uses hydro power to produce aluminium with a lower emissions profile. Investors and policy watchers should track how quickly these projects scale and whether customers pay a premium for lower carbon aluminium. The article also notes valuation concerns, with the stock trading above analyst targets and fair value estimates.