Russia is deficient in high -quality bauxites of a metallurgical variety for the production of aluminum oxide, therefore a significant part of the extractive and production capacities was historically located abroad. The country's need for aluminum oxide is about 8 million tons per year. At the same time, domestic production closes the need only partially, the rest is provided with imported supplies. Until 2022, enterprises in Ireland, Gvine, Yamike, Australia, Ukraine allowed the company to provide itself with aluminum oxide.
in 2022, the Nikolaev clay plant in Ukraine was stopped, and the Australian plant stopped delivering to Russia. As a result, Russia began to diversify the sources of supplies, turning to China, India and Kazakhstan. In April 2024, Rusal bought 30% of the shares of the Chinese company Hebei Wenfeng New Materials Co. LTD, owning the clay plant in the Habei province.
in 2024, Due to the modernization of foreign production and the development of new bauxite deposits, shipping aluminum oxide from the own Rusal and Guinea plants in Ireland and Guinea increased. In 2025, Rusal continues the implementation of the strategy to ensure raw material security, planning the acquisition of 50% of the shares of the clay factory in India.
