RUSAL, one of the world’s largest aluminium producers, is nearing the completion of a significant project to establish a fleet of rotary furnaces designed for recycling aluminium scrap on an industrial scale. This initiative is part of RUSAL’s commitment to producing aluminium with minimal carbon emissions, backed by a $12.5 million investment.
RUSAL has already brought five rotary furnaces online across its production facilities, with two more advanced units set to follow. Once fully operational, these furnaces will enable RUSAL to recycle 17,000 tonnes of consumer aluminium scrap annually, marking a major step in enhancing the company’s sustainable production capabilities.
“This latest initiative underscores RUSAL’s commitment to aluminium recycling,” said Igor Ignashov, RUSAL’s Sales Director for Russia and the CIS. “Consumer scrap boasts a zero carbon footprint. By recycling this scrap in-house and integrating it into our aluminium production, we can increase our output of low-carbon aluminium products while maintaining top-notch quality throughout our production chain. The demand for low-carbon aluminium is rising, as more processors seek to reduce their carbon footprints.”
The new rotary furnaces will also handle around 40,000 tonnes of aluminium slag annually. This valuable byproduct, which contains roughly 40% aluminium, is generated by RUSAL’s smelters and its downstream division, specialising in high-value-added aluminium processing. Previously, RUSAL had to sell this slag to third-party processors.
“The rotary furnaces we are installing are exceptionally efficient at recycling aluminium scrap and extracting aluminium from slag during the melting process,” noted Nikita Taganovich, Director of RUSAL’s Recycling Division. “To support these new capacities, RUSAL plans to forge long-term agreements with scrap suppliers across various federal districts, ensuring transparent pricing and guaranteed purchase volumes.”
RUSAL’s commitment to recycling extends further. The Volgograd Aluminium Smelter, for example, has been recycling process scrap (waste from industrial aluminium processing) since 2021, with 1,150 tons of metal recycled in 2023 alone. The smelter uses a standard gas furnace designed for melting pure metal, further demonstrating RUSAL’s dedication to sustainable practices. Additionally, RUSAL produces primary alloys with ultra-low carbon footprints for the automotive industry by incorporating recycled scrap.
Through these innovative recycling projects, RUSAL is not only advancing its environmental goals but also setting new standards in the aluminium industry for sustainability and efficiency.