Economics

A $3 Billion Aluminum Stash Is Now in Limbo After Sanctions

  • Rusal metal is a major part of global aluminum stockpiles
  • Some buyers are refusing to deal with any Rusal metal
Photographer: Akos Stiller/Bloomberg
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U.S. sanctions on United Co. Rusal have thrown an estimated $3 billion of aluminum into limbo.

Stockpiled metal produced by Rusal accounts for more than a third of the aluminum in warehouses monitored by the London Metal Exchange. While not explicitly subject to U.S. restrictions, it’s now a headache for the banks and traders who own it.