| It's a major loss to the region.
Century Aluminum is closing its Ravenswood smelter, with 651 workers becoming unemployed by February 20.
Century has been hurt badly by slumping aluminum prices and the globalized market.
The closure is a blow to Jackson County, but will also hurt the economy in most of the regional counties.
Rio Tinto Alcan, the parent company of Alcan Rolled Products also in Ravenswood, is talking with a Chinese aluminum group in a proposed a multi-billion dollar purchase.
Alcan has not gone public regarding the financial status of the Jackson County plant.
The China state-owned aluminum group Chinalco is reportedly lining up a $20 billion deal with Rio Tinto.
No deal has been reached.
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