Magnitude 7 Metals plans partial restart of Missouri aluminum smelter

Magnitude 7 Metals said on Wednesday it plans to restart the first potline at its aluminum smelter in Marston, Missouri after its closure in 2024.

The partial restart is expected to expand US primary aluminum capacity and restore some jobs in the state’s Bootheel region.

The smelter’s shutdown in January 2024 resulted in the layoff of 500 workers, severely impacting the economy of the Missouri Bootheel region.

The facility has faced repeated cycles of closures and curtailments over the last decade, including under previous owner Noranda in 2016, despite federal Section 232 tariffs aimed at shielding domestic producers.

In statements responding to the announcement, coalition groups, including Industrious Labs and Renew Missouri, urged Magnitude 7 Metals to modernize the facility with cleaner, more reliable energy systems to prevent future “boom-and-bust” cycles.

(By Dharna Bafna; Editing by Vijay Kishore)