Achinsk Alumina Refinery (AAR)

Achinsk Alumina Refinery (AAR) was launched in 1970 at the site of the Kiya-Shaltyr nepheline deposit and the Mazulsky limestone mine.

The refinery uses a unique method of alumina production through complex processing of nepheline ore, calcinated soda, and potassium sulphate. The method was designed by the Russian National Aluminium and Magnesium Institute, a part of the Group’s Metals segment.

The alumina produced at AAR is predominantly delivered to the Group’s Siberian aluminium smelters.

The equipment at AAR is constantly undergoing upgrades to raise the facility’s production efficiency and lower its carbon footprint.

A new production process has been developed for producing highly dispersed precipitated aluminium hydroxide, a material used as a fire retardant. Slurries from Achinsk Alumina Refinery are used in this unique process for extracting alumina from nepheline, resulting in drastically low production costs. The new process has completed all the required laboratory and field tests. Consumers were sent samples of the material and reported its suitability for forming compounds. According to current estimates, there is a market for more than 15 ktpa for highly dispersed precipitated aluminium hydroxide in Russia alone. Work has begun on the first stage of a 5 ktpa production line at Achinsk Alumina Refinery.

Development plans

Exploration at the Kiya-Shaltyr and Mazulsky deposits, preparation of design documentation for the Goryachegorsky mine development.
In 2019, a reconstruction of gas scrubbers connected to sintering furnaces No. 5 and No. 8 is planned to commence at RUSAL Achinsk.
A new stage involving the construction of a mini-plant has been completed under a project developing an aluminium chloride production process for producing alumina from non-bauxite raw materials. The next stage is the construction of an experimental industrial unit with a capacity of 2 ktpa at Achinsk Alumina Refinery.