$RUAL Aughinish Alumina owner Rusal said yesterday it aimed to keep its three major bauxite mines and one alumina refinery in Guinea operating after a military coup there but said it might evacuate its Russian personnel if the crisis worsened. The coup in the West African nation with the world’s largest bauxite reserves, used to produce aluminium, sent prices of the metal to a 10-year high. There was no immediate indication of any supply disruptions. Rusal is the world’s third largest aluminium producer. Guinea accounts for 42pc of Rusal’s bauxite capacity and ore mined in the West African country is shipped to refineries, including Europe’s largest at Aughinish in Co Limerick, to be refined into alumina. “In connection with the events taking place in the Republic of Guinea, Rusal’s number one priority is the health and safety of its employees and the continuity of its production processes,” Rusal said in a statement. “In case of further escalation, the company is considering options for the evacuation of Russian personnel from the republic,” it added. Separately, Russia-focused producer Nordgold which operates the Lefa gold mine in Guinea that accounts for 17pc of its production, said it was operating normally. “Nordgold remains unaffected by the current political situation in Guinea and our mine site continue to operate as normal... We are monitoring the situation closely,” it said. The Russian foreign ministry called on the Guinean military to immediately release President Alpha Conde as it joined other nations in denouncing Sunday’s coup. “Moscow opposes any attempt at unconstitutional change of leadership,” the ministry said in a statement. “We demand the release of Mr Conde and a guarantee of his immunity. We consider it necessary to return the situation in Guinea to constitutional norms as soon as possible.”