RUSAL has formally petitioned Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin for permission to temporarily halt operations at a portion of its raw material production capacity within Russia, according to a report by Kommersant citing anonymous sources.

The assets slated for potential mothballing include the Pikalyovo alumina refinery, the North Urals bauxite mine, and the Bogoslovsk and Urals alumina plants. These facilities are currently generating an estimated loss of $400 per tonne of aluminum produced from their raw material processing, which could translate into annual losses of approximately $800 million for the company.

RUSAL has calculated that restarting this raw materials segment would require an investment of $1.8 billion. In addition to the idling request, the company has also applied for subsidies covering railway freight tariffs and preferential rates for port transshipment of imported bauxite, with the total annual support package estimated at around $70 million.

Furthermore, RUSAL has asked the government to implement support measures for the regions affected by the proposed temporary shutdown of these facilities.