Insight - Australian alumina ban will squeeze Rusal and aluminium

The London Metal Exchange (LME) three-month aluminium jumped more than 5% at its opening to US$3,554 (RM14,978) per tonne on Monday morning and was last trading around US$3,545 (RM14,940). (FILE PHOTO: Traders work on the floor of the London Metal Exchange in London, Britain.)

AUSTRALIA’S decision to ban exports of alumina to Russia tightens further the raw materials squeeze on Russian aluminium giant Rusal.

The company’s four million tonnes of smelter capacity each year processes eight million tonnes of alumina, which sits between bauxite and refined metal in the aluminium production chain.