In a move addressing longstanding concerns of local residents and environmental groups, Rio Tinto and Alteo have entered into an agreement to manage the remediation of the Gardanne industrial site and the Mange-Garri bauxite residue storage site in France. This initiative targets the notorious red sludge, or bauxaline, that has been stored on the Mange-Garri plateau near Bouc-Bel-Air for decades.
The Gardanne plant, operational since 1894 and acquired by Guinean company United Mining Supply in 2021, ceased its bauxite refining operations in March 2022. The plant now focuses exclusively on producing specialty alumina for products such as LCD screens, smartphones, electric batteries, bulletproof vests, and ceramics.
Under the new agreement, Rio Tinto will take ownership of the Mange-Garri storage site and oversee its environmental remediation. The company will begin with environmental and technical studies to develop a comprehensive remediation plan, in collaboration with government agencies and local stakeholders. These studies aim to ensure soil stability and determine the necessary steps to rehabilitate and repurpose the 45 hectares of the Mange-Garri site.
Rio Tinto’s commitment to environmental responsibility is underscored by its track record in France. The company has invested €128 million in site requalification projects, including significant remediation efforts at former industrial sites such as Mont Roc and Moulinal mines in Tarn, Auzat in Ariège, Lannemezan in Hautes-Pyrénées, and Salindres in Gard.
Alteo will continue to operate the Gardanne plant, focusing on the production of specialty aluminas. The agreement with Rio Tinto ensures that Alteo has the technical solutions and financial resources necessary to address the site’s future remediation needs.
Alain Moscatello, President of Alteo, expressed satisfaction with the agreement: “The Gardanne site has definitively turned the page on bauxite processing. We can now concentrate fully on the development of specialty aluminas and on future projects at the Gardanne site.” 
