Rio Tinto, which is considering selling its Saint-nJean-de-Maurienne aluminum plant in France,nis continuing talks with power supplier EDF onna medium-term electricity contract, a Rio Tintonspokeswoman said Thursday. The Saint-Jean-de-nMaurienne plant in eastern France produces aboutn135,000 mt of aluminum per year. The plant’sncurrent contract with EDF expires at the start ofn2014 and Rio Tinto is looking to extend it, thenspokeswoman said. At the same time, Rio Tintonis seeking offers for the plant and already hasn“several” potential buyers, she said. Rio Tintonhas closed specialized aluminum production unitsnin France and Germany this year due to weakernmarket conditions, but wants to avoid shutting thenSaint-Jean-de-Maurienne plant, a large employer innthe area. The French government announced latenSeptember it is aiming to pass a law by the end ofnthe year that will force companies to sell industrialnplants to other eligible operators rather than shutnthem down. The fragility of France’s industrial sectornwas highlighted when steel and mining giantnArcelorMittal said it would not reopen two blastnfurnaces at its Florange site, which the companynhas kept idle for more than a year due to low steelndemand. ArcellorMittal agreed to allow the governmentn60 days to find a buyer for the Florangenassets after a series of high-level talks betweennthe company and government officials
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