"Our thoughts are with the family and friends of the deceased at this very difficult time for us all," Albras managing director Luis Jorge Nunes said, adding that Albras is in the process of establishing a committee to investigate the incident.

The accident occurred at the 455,000-tonnes Albras smelter located just outside the city of Barcarena in the Pará region in northern Brazil.

The contractor was immediately taken to hospital in the nearby city of Belém following the incident, which occurred just before 6 p.m. local time last Thursday.

Albras is a joint venture owned 51 percent by Hydro following the recent acquisition of Vale's aluminium assets.