EXHIBIT 99.1

CENTURY'S ACQUISITION OF NORDURAL SHARES RISES TO 100 PERCENT

            Monterey CA, March 29, 2004 -- Century Aluminum Company (NASDAQ:
CENX) and Columbia Ventures Corporation (CVC) announced today that Century will
acquire from CVC 100 percent of the shares of Nordural hf, a primary aluminum
producer in Iceland. The companies previously reported that Century would
acquire an initial 49.9-percent share that could increase to 100 percent
following the satisfaction of certain conditions. Those conditions have now been
met, the companies reported. The transaction is still expected to close by May
31, 2004.

            Nordural owns a 90,000-metric-ton-per-year (mtpy) primary aluminum
plant at Grundartangi, Iceland. The plant began operation in 1998. An expansion
is planned that will double its capacity to 180,000 mtpy by 2006.

            The purchase price for CVC's entire interest is $150 million. In
addition, Nordural has long-term, project debt of approximately $190 million.
The agreement also provides for a contingent payment of $25 million to CVC upon
the commencement of the expansion.

            Announcing the action, Century's Chairman and Chief Executive
Officer Craig A. Davis said:

            "We are very pleased that we will acquire 100 percent of Nordural
and its world-class primary aluminum facility. As announced earlier, this
acquisition is a significant step forward in achieving Century's strategic goals
of reducing our average cost to produce aluminum and geographically diversifying
our asset base."

            Century currently owns 525,000 mtpy of primary aluminum capacity. It
owns and operates the 170,000-mtpy plant at Ravenswood, WV and the 244,000-mtpy
plant at Hawesville, KY. Century also owns a 49.67 percent interest in the
222,000-mtpy reduction plant at Mt. Holly, SC. Alcoa Inc. owns the remainder and
is the operating partner. Century's headquarters are in Monterey, CA.

            Columbia Ventures is a privately-owned investment company
headquartered in Vancouver, WA. Subsequent to this transaction its remaining
major investments will be in CTC Communications, the largest facilities-based
Competitive Local Exchange Carrier headquartered in New England; Hibernia
Atlantic, a transatlantic fiber-optic cable providing broadband connections
between Boston, Halifax, Dublin and the United Kingdom; Og Vodafone, a
full-service facilities-based telecommunications company in Iceland; Globalstar,
the satellite telephony and data provider; Tecnol, an aluminum extruder in
Mexico; and Columbia Commercial Building Products in Rockwall, Texas.

            Century's press releases may contain "forward-looking statements"
within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The
company cautions that such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of
future performance and involve significant risks and uncertainties. Actual
results may vary.

Editorial Contact:  A. T. Posti 831 643-9364