Southland leaders are wary of relying too heavily on the Bluff aluminium smelter

Rio Tinto has announced the Tiwai Point smelter will keep operating to the end of 2024 - instead of closing in August.

Gore Mayor Tracy Hicks says Southland's economy is a three-legged stool - made up of the smelter, primary industry and everything else.

He says strengthening the wobbly stool with more certainty for the smelter - and adding a fourth leg from power generated at Manapouri - would be even better.