Press-releases

Moscow, 5 November 2008 – UC RUSAL, the world’s largest aluminium and alumina producer, is pleased to announce the early repayment of the USD 4.5 billion loan provided by a syndicate of foreign banks in April 2008. The loan was used to finance the acquisition of a 25% plus two shares stake in MMC Norilsk Nickel.

Moscow, 5 November 2008 – UC RUSAL, which owns a 25% plus two shares stake in Norilsk Nickel,  is issuing this statement to voice its concerns about the announced buy back of shares by MMC Norilsk Nickel worth of RUB 26 billion despite the Krasnoyarsk region's arbitration court ordering that such action be blocked.

Moscow, 30 October 2008 – UC RUSAL, the world’s largest aluminium and alumina producer, is pleased to announce the launch of a second dry gas scrubber as part of the fifth potline of reduction cells currently being constructed at the Irkutsk Aluminium Smelter. The first gas scrubber system was installed in December 2007, before the launch of the fifth potline. The combined cost of the two gas scrubbers is over USD 25 million. The gas scrubbers, which are capable of processing gas from the new electrolysis workshops, provide a 99.5% level of efficiency.

Moscow, 28 October 2008 – UC RUSAL, the world’s largest aluminium and alumina producer, is pleased to announce the launch of the anode-baking furnace at the Sayanogorsk aluminium smelter following its modernisation.  The goal of the USD 25 million project was to provide the Sayanogorsk and Khakas aluminium smelters with the necessary volume of high quality anodes, which are required for aluminium production.

Moscow, 27 October 2008 – UC RUSAL, the world’s largest aluminium and alumina producer, is pleased to announce that it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with An Vien of Vietnam to create a vertically integrated bauxite and alumina complex. The project will include the construction of an alumina refinery with a capacity of approximately 1.5 million tonnes of alumina per annum based on Binh Phuoc, one of the most promising bauxite deposits in South Vietnam.

Moscow, 21 October 2008 - UC RUSAL, the world’s largest aluminium and alumina producer, is pleased to announce the launch of production of super thin 9 microns aluminium foil at the ARMENAL foil mill (Armenia). The company invested USD 6 million in super thin foil production technology in 2007-2008 to meet the high demand from global markets.

Moscow, 16 October 2008 – UC RUSAL, the world’s largest aluminium and alumina producer, is pleased to announce the 2008 year results of the Global Technology and Innovation Research Project, a long-term programme designed to involve leading universities and research centres in the identification of innovative and sustainable applications for aluminium products.  A joint committee comprising of UC RUSAL, the International Aluminium Institute (IAI) and Professor Thomas Graedel from the Yale University, as the independent expert, has selected three of the most promising research projects to receive funding to explore and test creative ideas in 2009.

Moscow, 14 October 2008 – UC RUSAL, which owns a 25% plus two shares stake in Norilsk Nickel,  is issuing this statement to raise its concerns about the announced purchases of a number of assets by  a Norilsk Nickel subsidiary from Vladimir Potanin, the shareholder controlling the company, as well as about financial situation of Norilsk Nickel in general.

Moscow, 10 October 2008 – UC RUSAL, the world’s largest aluminium and alumina producer, announces that it has received the decision of the Moscow arbitration court on its suit against LUKOIL. In accordance with the appeal filed by UC RUSAL on 13 August 2008, LUKOIL is obliged to supply about 20,000 tonnes of oil coke to UC RUSAL smelters. The court has also ruled that LUKOIL should be fined 750,000 rubles. UC RUSAL is satisfied with the court decision and looks forward to LUKOIL fulfilling its obligations.