Rusal Seeks Aluminum Plant in Vietnam

VIETNAM NEWS BRIEFS, August 08, 2007 United Company Rusal, the world's top aluminum producer, is seeking opportunities to build an aluminum factory in Vietnam soon, Artem Volunets chief executive officer said during the talks with Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung in Hanoi Rusal wants to build partnership with Vietnam's groups for to jointly carry out giant projects not only in the aluminum production but also in infrastructure development such as seaport and railways, he noted Artem Volunets expressed his hope to sign cooperation deal with the Vietnam Coal and Mineral Industries Group (Vinacomin) for its aluminum projects in Vietnam Igor Khovaev, minister counselor of the Russian Embassy in Vietnam stated in June that the Russian United Company Rusal is planned to invest $1 billion in the Central Highlands, where Vietnam's largest bauxite ore deposits are found UC Rusal opened its representative office in Hanoi in May 2007 and sent a letter mentioning issues relating to the project to Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung UC Rusal, which is operating 15 aluminum factories worldwide, accounts for 12.5%-16% of global aluminum output. Rusal shipped its products to 70 countries According to initial statistics by the Ministry of Industry, Vietnam's bauxite ore reserves are estimated at over eight billion tons - the raw material used in alumina production, a white powder for producing aluminum - ranking fourth worldwide behind Australia, Guinea and Brazil. Of the total, the Central Highlands has an estimated 7.9 billion tons, while the northern mountainous provinces of Cao Bang and Lang Son count some 120 million tons.