Capral Aluminium Successfully Trials Recycled-Content Billet with Rio Tinto at Boyne Smelters

Capral Aluminium has successfully completed a trial of recycled-content billets supplied by Rio Tinto at Boyne Smelters Limited (BSL). The trial utilized 50 to 100 tonnes of post-production aluminium scrap from Capral's Bremer Park extrusion plant in South East Queensland. This scrap was remelted and cast into billets, resulting in a new product containing a minimum of 20% recycled content.

Capral claims that this development marks the beginning of a new era of environmentally conscious local aluminium production. The closed-loop approach not only minimizes waste but also reduces the carbon intensity of extrusions produced from such billets, aligning with Capral's commitment to sustainability.

According to Capral, the trial has successfully demonstrated the potential for a "Made in Australia" closed-loop aluminium solution, in line with the Australian Government’s Future Made in Australia policy. The entire production process, from raw materials of bauxite and alumina and primary aluminium production to Capral’s extrusion and Rio Tinto’s remelting of scrap, has been carried out entirely within Australia.

Capral is now exploring options for incorporating this sustainable material into its product line. Luke Hawkins, Divisional General Manager of Industrial Solutions and Supply at Capral, emphasized the importance of this initiative, stating, “Whilst Capral recycles the vast majority of our scrap, it must be sent offshore for processing and typically ends up in different types of products than what we would normally produce. We are excited to be working with Rio Tinto, our main domestic supplier, on this project; hopefully, in the not-too-distant future, we can recycle all of our scrap locally and use it to support circularity within the Australian aluminium industry.”

By supplying post-production scrap to Rio Tinto, Capral ensures that valuable materials remain in circulation within Australia and are converted into useful products. This collaboration provides Capral with a strategic avenue to efficiently manage its waste stream while enhancing its sustainability credentials.

“We are driven by the industry to incorporate recycled content into our supply chain,” Hawkins added. “We’ve worked hard to introduce LocAl and LocAl Super Green, our lower carbon aluminium offerings, and the addition of this aluminium material with 20% recycled content is another important step in our evolving procurement strategy towards delivering more sustainable aluminium to Australian manufacturers.”