Overview
Russia is the world’s 9th largest bauxite producer, producing in the region of 3 – 4 Mt each year. Most of the country’s bauxite is produced from the Northern Urals, which produces more than 80% of Russia’s total. The Urals are said to contain nearly 30% of Russia’s explored bauxite reserves.
Russia is among the worlds leading producers of primary aluminium, and is the biggest producer in the CIS. Russian Aluminium (RusAl) and SUAL (which operate the Irkutsk and Uralsky aluminium smelters) account for over 85% of Russian aluminium production. RusAl is one of the world’s three largest aluminium companies, accounting for over 70% of Russian primary output and about 10% of world production. RusAl controls the Krasnoyarsk, Bratsk, Novokuznetsk and Sayanogorsk smelters, the Achinsk alumina refinery (all in Russia) and the Nikolayev alumina refinery in Ukraine. It also operates a number of downstream units in Russia.
The SUAL group includes 21 companies in Russia’s aluminium sector that are managed by SUAL Holdings, including the Bogoslovsky, Uralsky, Irkutsk and Kandalaksha aluminium smelters. The group mines bauxite, and produces alumina, primary aluminium, silicon and aluminium products.
Russia’s largest smelter, which is located in the Irkutsk region, Bratsk Aluminum Smelter (BrAZ), increased production of primary aluminium by 2,712 t to 921,800 t in 2002. In 2002 the smelter introduced a three-tier production management system and set targets and deviation limits for all parameters of the production process.
Krasnoyarsk Aluminum Smelter (KrAZ), Russia’s second largest, produced about 862,000 t of primary aluminium in 2002 a 1.1% increase from 2001. The smelter’s specialists were working on a US$100 million modernisation programme to the year 2006. RusAl owns 95% of the Krasnoyarsk Aluminum Smelter.
Sayanogorsk Aluminum Smelter (SAZ) in Khakasia, Russia’s third largest, produced 413,864 t of primary aluminium in 2002 a 1.7% increase from 2001. Novokuznetsk aluminium smelter produced 287,814 t of primary aluminium in 2002.
Boksit Timana, a member of the SUAL group, produced 729,600 t of ore in 2002 at the Sredne-Timan bauxite field in the Komi republic. The Sredne-Timan field contains a proven reserve of 250 Mt of bauxite, which is 30% of Russia’s entire reserves. The recovery rate for alumina from ore is 50%, and the ores are amenable to an open-pit operation. Although mine output went up only slightly, ore had been stockpiled to boost shipments to the Uralsky and Bogoslovsky works in the Sverdlovsk region and the Chelyabinsk Abrasive Plant to 841,700 t.
The Sevuralboksitruda bauxite mine in the north Urals accounts for about 70% of all bauxite produced in Russia. It increased investment in 2002, principally to increase production capacity. In particular, a pile driver is being built for the Krasnaya Shapochka operation. In addition, construction has begun of a pile driver at the Novo-Kalinskaya mine, where bauxite production will begin in 2005.
Organisations (4)
OAO Bauxite Timana, OAO Russian Aluminium, VSMPO-Avisma Corporation, ZAO Komi Aluminium
Facilities (35)
Aikhal GOK, Botuobinskaya, Chelyabinsk Tube-Rolling Plant, Darasun gold mine, Dukat, Grib, Istok Alluvial Mine, Jubilee, Julietta, Kalinovskaya Vostochnaya, Khiagdinskoye, Kubaka, Kumroch, Lebidinsky Iron Ore Mine, Lomonosov deposit, Middle-Timan Mine, Mirny GOK, Mnogovershinnoe, Nezhdaninskoye, Nurba GOK
