Rio Tinto, Carbfix to implement carbon capture, storage tech at ISAL smelter

Rio Tinto Group said Oct. 26 that it inked a memorandum of understanding with Carbfix to jointly implement technology to capture and permanently store carbon underground at the ISAL aluminum smelter in Iceland.

Under the MOU, Carbfix will use Rio Tinto's land surrounding the smelter for onshore carbon dioxide injection in the Coda Terminal, the world's first carbon mineral storage hub.

"The innovative technology developed by Carbfix provides a pathway towards further decarbonization of aluminum production at our ISAL smelter, which already produces low carbon aluminum using renewable energy. We will be working together to tackle the technical challenges to progress the carbon capture solution that we have begun trialing at ISAL," Rio Tinto Aluminum CEO Ivan Vella said in a statement.

Rio Tinto will also look for opportunities to apply Carbfix's decarbonization technology across its operations, complementing other decarbonizing efforts such as its partnership with Elysis for zero-carbon aluminum smelting.

Carbfix plans to drill the first injection wells for the terminal in 2022, with shipments of carbon dioxide starting in 2025.