SUAL Group, one of the world’s top ten aluminium producers, reports strong production growth across all its businesses for both the third quarter (Q3) and for the first nine months of 2004.

Upstream businesses: Bauxite production for nine months of 2004 was 3.79 million tonnes, representing a 14.6% increase compared to the same period of 2003. The increase was mainly due to the development of the Middle Timan Mine, which is being expanded to satisfy SUAL's growing demand for alumina.

Alumina production for the first nine months of 2004 reached 1.55 million tonnes, a 1.8% increase against the same period of 2003. The production growth reflected the ongoing modernisation and technical development programmes taking place at the Group's operations.

For the first nine months of 2004, SUAL Group's overall production of primary aluminium was 690,800 tonnes, a 4.1% increase on the production figures for the equivalent period in 2003. This growth is a result of introducing two new pre-baked anode potlines into operation at Ural Aluminium in December 2003, as well as introducing technical improvements across all the Group's potlines.

Silicon output for the first nine months of 2004 was 42,600 tonnes, a 12% increase against the figures of the same period of 2003. This significant increase was mainly due to the increased supply of silicon to the domestic market.

Downstream businesses: Due to its effective marketing approach, its more streamlined management systems, and the technical upgrades it has introduced, SUAL Group's downstream businesses have significantly increased production.

For the first nine months of 2004, Kamensk-Uralsky produced 61,100 tonnes of rolled and semi-finished products, an increase of 24.8% against the same period of 2003.

During the same period, Ural Foil manufactured 9,800 tonnes of foil and aluminium strip, representing a 31.4% increase against the figures for the equivalent period in 2003.

During the first nine months of 2004, Demidovsky produced 2,900 tonnes of consumer goods, exceeding the nine month production for 2003 by 39.5%.

Overall cable production reached 28,300 tonnes during the first three quarters of 2004, reflecting a 20.2% increase against the figures of the same period of 2003.

Production results for nine months of 2004 (ended 30 September 2004)

Production results for third quarter of 2004 (for three months, from 1 July to 30 September 2004)

Notes to editors:

About SUAL — The SUAL Group is a vertically integrated business and is among the ten largest aluminium producers in the world. SUAL comprises enterprises involved in bauxite mining, alumina refining, production of silicon, semi — finished and finished aluminium products.

Annually, the operations of the SUAL Group: mine some 4.4 million tonnes of bauxite, refine more than 2 million tonnes of alumina, produce over 890,000 tonnes of primary aluminium, produce more than 50,000 tonnes of silicon and manufacture more than 110,000 tonnes of aluminium products.