This week, Emva (Kniazhpogostsky district in Russia’s Komi Republic), was the location of the first open public hearing regarding the planned expansion by SUAL Group of production at the Middle Timan bauxite mine.

This public discussion, organised jointly between the Komi regional administration and ZAO Komi Aluminium, was attended by representatives of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), the International Financial Corporation (IFC) and residents of the Kniazhpogostsky district in the Komi Republic.

Representatives from the management of ZAO Komi Aluminium and OAO Timan Bauxite presented reports on the current status of the Komi Aluminium project and its development prospects. Russian and international environmental companies also presented their views on the EIA (Environment impact assessment) aspects of the project. The EIA will be conducted by CSIR, a South African based company that has engaged both local and international consultants to assist in the process.

Alexan Karapetian, Director General of ??? Timan Bauxite, emphasised that the SUAL Group acts not only in line with Russian environmental legislation but also will apply best practice international standards of environmental management to the Middle Timan expansion.

The entire project will be subject to a formal Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) process that will be conducted within the requirements of Russian legislation, as well as those of the IFC and the EBRD. This will ensure that the environmental assessment identifies and mitigates any environmental issues, while maximising the benefits to local communities.

Earlier, representatives of the EBRD and IFC visited Ural Aluminium, one of the SUAL Group enterprises that is, located in Kamensk-Uralsky, where they familiarised themselves with the full production cycle for the processing of Timan bauxite, from alumina to primary aluminium production.

This week’s hearing was the first in a series of public activities that will take place from September 2003 to mid-2004 in Emva, Syktyvkar and Chinjavoryk. These activities will be devoted to issues regarding the development of the Middle Timan bauxite mine, its contribution to the regional economy and to environmental aspects of the project. It is anticipated that these meetings will lay the foundation for a long and productive dialogue on the prospects for the development of the Middle Timan Bauxite mine, and the subsequent opportunity to construct an alumina-aluminium complex in the Komi Republic.

Notes to Editors

The Middle Timan Bauxite mine is the largest bauxite deposit in Eurasia. At present, approximately 1 million tonnes per annum of bauxite are extracted from the mine. The project to expand production envisages increasing its annual production up to 6.5 million tonnes. The proposed integrated aluminium production complex, from bauxite mining to primary aluminium, is based on the bauxite deposits at Middle Timan. SUAL Group continues to develop plans for the construction of this proposed alumina-aluminium complex (Komi Aluminium project), one of the largest projects in the history of the Russian aluminium industry. The total value of the Komi Aluminium project is estimated at over USD 2.0 billion

CSIR (Council for Scientific and Industrial Research) is one of the largest community and industry related scientific and technological research, development and implementation organisations. Established in 1945, CSIR has over 3,000 scientists, engineers, and technologists, technicians, sociologists and support staff.