ELYSIS inert-anode smelting: status and timeline

ELYSIS inert-anode smelting

Remove the direct greenhouse gases from aluminium smelting and make the cell cheaper and safer to run, then license it to smelters worldwide.

PilotStage 3 of 5

450 kA cell under test at Alma since Nov 2025; 10-cell Arvida demo plant targets first metal in 2027.

Updated 13 Nov 2025Checked 11 Oct0 updates this week

Milestones

Next · Testing the 450 kA cell for industrial data

Alcoa runs the process at its Pittsburgh technical centre2009Complete.
ELYSIS joint venture launched10 May 2018Complete.
First commercial batch sold to AppleDec 2019Complete.
Industrial R&D centre in Saguenay completedDec 2020Complete.
First licence: Rio Tinto's Arvida demo plant28 Jun 2024Complete.
450 kA commercial-size cell started at Alma13 Nov 2025Complete.
Testing the 450 kA cell for industrial dataNowCurrent milestone.
First metal from Arvida demo plantTarget 2027Not yet reached.

Most important updates

Upcoming

2027First metal from Arvida demo plant (next)

Current obstacles

Only one commercial-size cell runningDurability, metal purity and cost data at 450 kA are still being gathered before anyone commits to converting a potline.
Commercial timeline has slippedA technology package was planned for sale from 2024; full-scale commercial use now waits on Alma test results and the Arvida plant.

Physics limits

Without carbon, splitting alumina takes more voltageA burning carbon anode supplies part of the chemical energy. With an inert anode all of it must come from electricity, so cells need a higher voltage unless design gains offset it.
Few materials survive the bathThe anode sits in molten fluoride salt hot enough to dissolve most materials while bathed in pure oxygen. Any slow corrosion shortens anode life and puts impurities into the aluminium.
Smelting stays power-hungryAluminium is bound tightly to oxygen, so electrolysis always needs large amounts of electricity. Removing direct CO2 does not cut that; clean power is still needed.

How it works

4 parts

Electrolysis

Splitting alumina with current

Alumina is dissolved in a molten salt bath and a strong current pulls it apart: aluminium collects at the bottom, oxygen goes to the anode.

Old way

Carbon anodes burn away

In standard cells the oxygen eats the carbon anode, making CO2, so anodes are used up and must be replaced.

ELYSIS

A non-carbon anode

ELYSIS anodes are made of a proprietary non-carbon material that the oxygen does not consume, so the gas leaving the cell is oxygen.

Scale

Bigger current, more metal

Output scales with current. The jump to 450 kA puts the cell at the size of modern commercial potlines.

Spec sheet

Spec	ELYSIS inert-anode smelting
Commercial-size cell current	450 kA^R (reported)
Arvida demo plant cells	10^R (reported)
Arvida cell current	100 kA^R (reported)
Arvida capacity	Up to 2,500 t/year^R (reported)
Arvida plant investment	US$285M^R (reported)
Direct smelting emissions	None; gives off oxygen^R (reported)

^R reported by the company

Update log

4 updates

About ELYSIS

The team behind ELYSIS inert-anode smelting

ELYSIS

Inert-anode aluminium smelting, zero direct CO2

ELYSIS is a Montreal joint venture of Alcoa and Rio Tinto, with Québec as a small shareholder, commercialising a way to smelt aluminium that gives off oxygen instead of CO2. In November 2025 it started the first commercial-size cell using the method.

First commercial-size (450 kA) inert-anode cell started at Rio Tinto's Alma smelter in November 2025.
First licence: a US$285M, 10-cell demo plant at Arvida making up to 2,500 t a year, first metal targeted for 2027.
Commercial sale was first promised for 2024; it now hinges on the Alma tests and Arvida.

elysis.com (opens elysis.com)Company profile →

Founded: 20188 yrs
Headquarters: Canada
Status: Privateof Alcoa / Rio Tinto joint venture
Valuation: private
Last round: Funding round (C$400M; Québec C$14.1M)Jan 2025
Works in: MaterialsAlloys & superconductors
Coverage: 1 program · 5 updateslatest 13 Nov 2025checked 11 Oct
Lead investors: AlcoaRio Tinto
Investors: Alcoa (opens alcoa.com)Rio Tinto (opens riotinto.com)Apple (opens riotinto.com)Government of Québec (opens quebec.ca)
People: François Perras (opens elysis.com)President & CEO

Spec

ELYSIS inert-anode smelting

Commercial-size cell current

450 kA^R (reported)

Arvida demo plant cells

10^R (reported)

Arvida cell current

100 kA^R (reported)

Arvida capacity

Up to 2,500 t/year^R (reported)

Arvida plant investment

US$285M^R (reported)

Direct smelting emissions

None; gives off oxygen^R (reported)

ELYSIS inert-anode smelting

Milestones

Most important updates

Upcoming

Current obstacles

Physics limits

How it works

Splitting alumina with current

Carbon anodes burn away

A non-carbon anode

Bigger current, more metal

Spec sheet

Update log

Thu 13 Nov 2025

Fri 28 Jun 2024

Dec 2019

Thu 10 May 2018

About ELYSIS

Current obstacles

Physics limits

How it works

Splitting alumina with current

Carbon anodes burn away

A non-carbon anode

Bigger current, more metal

Spec sheet

Update log

Thu 13 Nov 2025

Fri 28 Jun 2024

Dec 2019

Thu 10 May 2018

About ELYSIS