Moscow, 16 January 2025 – RUSAL, one of the world’s largest aluminium producers, has successfully developed primary aluminium with vanadium levels reduced to trace amounts. This breakthrough in inert anode technology significantly enhances aluminium’s electrical conductivity, making it an ideal material for energy-efficient applications.

For over a century, the global aluminium industry has relied on carbon anodes for electrolysis, which inevitably introduces vanadium and other heavy metals into primary aluminium. Even in small concentrations, these impurities reduce electrical conductivity, affecting efficiency across power grids - from transmission lines to households.

By pioneering inert anode technology, RUSAL has virtually eliminated heavy metal impurities from its aluminium, setting a new industry standard. “Using wire rods made from ‘inert’ aluminium opens new possibilities for our customers,” Alexander Krokhin, Director of the Department for the Development of Foundry Technologies and New Products at RUSAL, said. “With minimal energy losses, this wire rod is a game-changer for energy-saving solutions.”

Previously, reducing vanadium content required costly post-production refining. Now, inert anodes achieve this at the electrolysis stage, simplifying production while improving aluminium purity. “Years of research into inert anode materials have enabled us to tackle key technical and environmental challenges in electrolysis,” Alexander Gusev, Director of the Electrolyzer with Inert Anodes project at RUSAL’s Engineering Department, noted. “This technology minimizes vanadium content and makes aluminium production cleaner and more sustainable.”

In 2017, RUSAL became the world’s first company to conduct industrial testing of electrolyzers with inert anodes. Unlike traditional carbon anodes, which release greenhouse gases, inert anodes generate only oxygen-oering a more environmentally friendly solution for aluminium production.