MOSCOW, Aug. 9 -- Russia aluminum exports in the first six months of the year fell to 1.595 million metric tons, down 5% on the year-earlier period, the federal customs service reported Friday.

The exported aluminum was valued at $2.888 billion compared with $2.464 billion a year ago.

Aluminum exports to countries outside the Commonwealth of Independent States during the period totaled 1.579 million tons, valued at $2.854 billion compared with 1.666 million tons in January-June 2009, with a value of $2.447 billion.