UC RUSAL lifts H1 2008 aluminium production by 7.8%

Russian aluminium giant UC RUSAL announced a 7.8% year-on-year increase in primary aluminium production to 2.196 million tonnes in the first half of 2008. There were several drivers of the production rise, the company said. The new 300,000tpy Khakas smelter—the first greenfield plant to be built in Russia since the demise of the Soviet Union—reached full capacity during the period. Production also started from the 170,000tpy expansion of the Irkutsk smelter. The $600m fifth potline project at Irkutsk was fired up in February and the company has previously said it expects full production by the end of this year. The company’s other smelters in Russia are experiencing capacity creep through ongoing technical upgrades. In Africa the recently acquired ALSCON smelter in Nigeria produced its first metal in February. The 197,000tpy plant is scheduled to reach capacity production in 2010. Production of cast-house products continues to grow at a faster pace than metal production, reflecting the company’s drive into value-added output. Products output rose by 13.8% year-on-year to 1.135 million tonnes in H1 2008. UC RUSAL’s alumina production rose by 1.4% to 5.660 million tonnes, reflecting in particular higher output at the Aughinish refinery in Ireland and the Nikolaev plant in Ukraine. Source: Metals Insider