A new aluminum smelting technology developed in Quebec has won the prestigious 2014 Project Management Institute’s (PMI) Project of the Year Award.

Rio Tinto Alcan (RTA), SNC-Lavalin and Hatch created the AP60 Phase 1 aluminum smelter facility upgrade, which delivers 40 per cent more product with fewer emissions and lower costs than other smelters.

The research team at Montreal-based RTA first tested the new technology in 2007 at a new RTA smelting plant in Jonquière, Que.

The first phase of the $1.3-billion project resulted in a template for the company’s future plant projects.

Overall, construction included a gas treatment centre, a massive electrical substation and 38 smelting pots, with an aluminum production capacity of 60,000 tonnes per year.

Throughout the intense and collaborative process, the team prioritized worker safety and challenges related to maintaining communication with more than 100 equipment suppliers and 50 installation contractors working on-site at the same time.

“In overcoming numerous roadblocks to achieve a successful launch of the very ambitious AP60 project, these professionals have exemplified project excellence and teamwork to illustrate, on an industrial scale, how projects are the true engines of innovation,” said Mark Langley, president and chief executive officer at PMI.