Rio Tinto slows construction at Nemaska lithium project
Diversified miner Rio Tinto has slowed the pace of construction at the Nemaska Lithium Bécancour lithium hydroxide conversion project in Quebec, Canada, following a review undertaken after assuming direct management of Nemaska Lithium in February.
The review concluded that adjustments were needed to place the project on a stronger and more sustainable path, Rio Tinto said at the weekend, stating that construction activity would be reduced for the rest of the year while optimisation work was completed.
Engineering for the Bécancour facility has already been finalised and construction is more than 70% complete, the company said.
During the optimisation phase, some construction activities will continue while others will be paused or deferred, with contractor workforce levels at the site expected to decline temporarily.
Rio Tinto said the slowdown was intended to allow the combined Nemaska Lithium and Rio Tinto teams to strengthen the project’s execution plan, drawing on the miner’s experience managing similar large-scale developments.
The company stressed that the decision did not signal any reduction in its commitment to the project or to Quebec as a key hub in its lithium growth strategy.
Rio Tinto plans to invest more than $300-million in its Quebec lithium business in 2026, including continued support for the Bécancour development.
In parallel with the optimisation work, the company is aligning project leadership roles to improve oversight, governance and coordination between the Rio Tinto and Nemaska Lithium teams.
Construction is expected to ramp up again once the optimisation work has been completed, and Rio Tinto said it does not currently expect major changes to the project’s overall timeline.
Rio Tinto and its equity partners will continue working closely together as the project progresses.
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