PRESS: Government to mull cutting, zeroing bauxite import duties

MOSCOW, Nov 23 (PRIME) -- The Russian government will discuss abolishment or reduction of the import duty on bauxites for a future alumina project of aluminum producer RUSAL in Ust-Luga, business daily Kommersant reported щт Thursday citing a roadmap of a metals industry development strategy.

"RUSAL’s future project to build an alumina plant in Ust-Luga can get government support in the form of cancellation or reduction of the bauxite import duty," the newspaper reported.

"Russia does not import bauxites at the moment and covers the needs of the existing alumina plants from its own deposits. Yet, their potential is limited, and RUSAL plans to import up to 5 million tonnes of bauxites from Guinea per year for its future plant," Kommersant said.

The import duty on aluminum ores and concentrates stands at 5%. Russia imported 17,000 tonnes of aluminum ores for U.S. $7 million in 2021. Data for 2022 is unavailable.

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