Report: RUSAL sues Rio Tino in Australia over QAL plant

MOSCOW, Jun 6 (PRIME) -- Russian aluminum giant UC RUSAL has filed a suit to the Federal Court of Australia against Rio Tinto over termination of business at alumina plant Queensland Alumina Ltd (QAL), Australian newswire AAP reported on Monday.

In April, Rio Tinto CEO Jacob Stausholm said that his company had terminated commercial relations with Russia, and acquired 100% control in QAL, which RUSAL, the owner of 20% in the alumina plant, is contesting.

RUSAL filed the suit through subsidiary Alumina and Bauxite Company, where it insists on recovery of rights and privileges under a contract that the Australian company turned down due to the sanctions against tycoons Oleg Deripaska and Viktor Vekselberg.

According to the documents submitted to the court, even if QAL agrees to export bauxite to third countries outside Russia, neither Deripaska and Vekselberg nor Russia would benefit from that, AAP reported.

In March, Australia banned exports of alumina and aluminum ores to Russia. QAL asked Rio Tinto to intervene and acquire full control over the asset after it had received a legal consultation that deemed the plant’s operation as a joint venture with the Russian companies impossible due to the Australian sanctions.

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