RUSAL commissions first complex of new casthouse at Irkutsk Aluminium Smelter

RUSAL, the world’s largest aluminium and alumina producer, announces commissioning of the first start-up complex of new Casthouse 3 at its Irkutsk aluminium smelter (IrkAZ). The company invested approximately USD 50 million in the expansion of IrkAZ casting facility and commissioning of its 1st line.

The new line casts 22.5 kg ingots, a totally new product for the smelter. When running at full capacity the line can produce 27 tonnes per hour. Its output in September is expected to be 6,000 tonnes.

Developed by RUSAL’s teams, the casthouse expansion project started at IrkAZ in 2006. Casthouse 3 will have two lines. In January 2009 the smelter began the start-up and commissioning of the first line, which has two independent tilting furnaces, 60 tonnes capacity each, with heat treatment and stirrers, and one casting conveyor.

The benefits of the new equipment in Casthouse 3 include a higher level of productivity compared to the existing casting machines and fully automated casting and stacking.

‘Commissioning of the new modern equipment that has the shortest changeover time before it can shift to a more popular product, will improve the rate at which we are able to respond to the changing needs of our customers and is an important step towards better product quality and higher efficiency of the company’s aluminium smelters, a critically important factor given the current economic difficulties,’ said Alexey Arnautov, RUSAL’s Director of the Aluminium Division.