Rusal Reports 99% Reduction in Emissions with New Aluminum Production Technology

The XII International Congress and Exhibition “Non-Ferrous Metals and Minerals - 2024” opened in Krasnoyarsk on September 10, with experts from 11 countries gathering to discuss advancements in metallurgy technologies. One of the highlights of the event was a presentation by Victor Mann, Technical Director of Rusal, who outlined the company's progress in using inert anode technology for aluminum production. This innovative approach is both more efficient and significantly reduces environmental impact.

Inert anode technology can cut greenhouse gas emissions during aluminum production by over 99%, according to Mann. The electrolysis process also generates substantial amounts of oxygen, with one inert anode producing as much oxygen as 70 hectares of forest. Rusal has been piloting the technology since 2017 and has produced 5,000 tons of aluminum to date.

Mann announced that the company plans to scale up commercial aluminum production using this method by 2026. While engineering challenges remain, the pilot site has already achieved commercial-quality aluminum production. Rusal intends to expand the number of inert anode electrolyzers once these hurdles are addressed.