In April 2006, RUSAL and the Government of Guinea have reached an agreement on privatisation of the refinery. The estimated capacity of this refinery is 640,000 tonnes of alumina and 1.9 mln tonnes of bauxite per annum.

Friguia refinery is one of the largest employers in Guinea with 1,099 people. The volume of the bauxite reserves under exploration has reached 35 mln tonnes; the volume of the explored resources is 361 mln tonnes. The refinery’s infrastructure includes a 160 km long railway network used for transportation of products, raw materials and fuel.

Geography
The alumina refinery is located in the town of Fria (Guinea), some 160 km from the country’s capital – Conakry and close to a bauxite deposit

Technology

Friguia uses the Bayer process to produce alumina from bauxite.

Development

The company has developed a feasibility study for the Friguia Refinery modernisation and expansion project. Hatch, the Canadian Engineering Company, and VAMI, the All Russian Aluminium-Magnesium Institute took part in the development of the feasibility study. The 3-year project is directed to increase the plant’s capacity from 640,000 tonnes to 1 mln tonnes per annum. Modernisation of the plant’s facilities will also raise the refinery’s production performance and reduce operating costs. Currently the feasibility study is a subject to approval by the independent experts.

Environment

The refinery’s modernization programme will significantly reduce the environmental impact: a commitment to use ecologically friendly materials by replacing old equipment with environmentally friendly plant will reduce emissions.

The company annually restores 30 hectares of land involved in bauxite mining.

Management

General Manager — Kryuchkov Vladimir

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