Russia preparing to build alumina refinery in Leningrad region, modernize four smelters

MOSCOW. July 15 (Interfax) - Russia is preparing to build an alumina refinery in the Leningrad region and an anode factory in Taishet, and to modernize and improve the environmental footprint of four aluminum smelters among other base metals sector projects.

These projects are being carried out in accordance with the president's instructions, Industry and Trade Minister Anton Alikhanov said during an event dedicated to Metallurgist Day with Russian President Vladimir Putin in attendance.

The Industry and Trade Ministry has estimated the modernization of the four smelters, in Bratsk, Irkutsk, Krasnoyarsk and Novokuznetsk, and the construction of the alumina refinery in the Leningrad region will cost more than 980 billion rubles.

Russian aluminum giant Rusal has estimated the construction of the alumina refinery, as well as other infrastructure to replenish raw material security after the loss of a number of foreign assets, at $4 billion. The goal of the project in the Leningrad region is to compensate for the shortage of raw materials for aluminum production due to the stoppage at the Nikolayev alumina refinery in 2022, and the ban imposed by Australia at the same time on alumina and bauxite exports to Russia.

Alikhanov also said back-up capacity was being built to produce a wide range of aluminum semi-finished products, high-strength rolled products and special alloys.