Rusal can't access alumina from Australia JV as pressure builds
United Co. Rusal International can’t access its share of alumina from an Australian joint venture, adding to growing pressure on the Russian aluminum giant to find the raw materials it needs to feed its plants.
While Australia banned exports of alumina and related products to Russia a week ago, it was unclear whether Rusal would still be able to take ownership of its share of production from the joint venture with Rio Tinto Group, and potentially ship it elsewhere. That has not been the case, according to people familiar with the matter, who asked not to be identified discussing private information.
Aluminum is produced in two main stages: raw ore -- called bauxite -- is refined into alumina, a white powder, which is then smelted at high temperatures to make finished metal. While the aluminum industry hasn’t been directly targeted by sanctions, Rusal’s access to raw materials is under growing pressure as a result of the war in Ukraine, raising questions about whether it can sustain production levels.
Rusal’s alumina supplies from its key Ukrainian refinery have already been “severely curtailed” because of the war, and the company is looking for alternative supply sources. Some 30 000 tons of alumina have been loaded onto two vessels headed for Siberia after leaving China in recent weeks, traders familiar with the matter said last week.
Australia, which supplies nearly a fifth of Russia’s alumina, announced a ban on shipments to Russia on March 20.
Rusal owns a 20% stake in Queensland Alumina Ltd., which is operated by Rio Tinto, and is entitled to the same proportion of production. It is currently unable to access the metal and there is no indication that the situation will change soon, said the people.
Rusal’s press service didn’t immediately comment on Monday. A Rio spokesman declined to comment.
Comments
Research Reports
Projects
Latest Multimedia
Latest News
Showroom
Supplier & Distributor of the Widest Range of Accurate & Easy-to-Use Alcohol Breathalysers
VISIT SHOWROOM
Rittal is a world leading provider of top-quality integrated systems for enclosures, power distribution, climate control, IT infrastructure and...
VISIT SHOWROOM
Press Office
Announcements
What's On
Subscribe to improve your user experience...
Option 1 (equivalent of R125 a month):
Receive a weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine
(print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
Receive daily email newsletters
Access to full search results
Access archive of magazine back copies
Access to Projects in Progress
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format
Option 2 (equivalent of R375 a month):
All benefits from Option 1
PLUS
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports, in PDF format, on various industrial and mining sectors
including Electricity; Water; Energy Transition; Hydrogen; Roads, Rail and Ports; Coal; Gold; Platinum; Battery Metals; etc.
Already a subscriber?
Forgotten your password?
Receive weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine (print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
➕
Recieve daily email newsletters
➕
Access to full search results
➕
Access archive of magazine back copies
➕
Access to Projects in Progress
➕
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format
RESEARCH CHANNEL AFRICA
R4500 (equivalent of R375 a month)
SUBSCRIBEAll benefits from Option 1
➕
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports on various industrial and mining sectors, in PDF format, including on:
Electricity
➕
Water
➕
Energy Transition
➕
Hydrogen
➕
Roads, Rail and Ports
➕
Coal
➕
Gold
➕
Platinum
➕
Battery Metals
➕
etc.
Receive all benefits from Option 1 or Option 2 delivered to numerous people at your company
➕
Multiple User names and Passwords for simultaneous log-ins
➕
Intranet integration access to all in your organisation
