United Arab Emirates’ aluminium giant Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA) announced today the start of production at Al Taweelah alumina refinery, located in Khalifa Industrial Zone Abu Dhabi. EGA’s €2.9 billion facility is expected to produce around two million tonnes of alumina per year once it reaches full capacity.
Al Taweelah alumina refinery is part of EGA’s upstream expansion in the aluminium chain and will allow the company to reduce imports and secure supply of alumina – the feedstock for aluminium smelters that is refined from bauxite ore. The UAE currently relies entirely on imports to meet its alumina needs.
Abdulla Kalban, EGA’s Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer commented: “The start-up of Al Taweelah alumina refinery is transformative for EGA and the first of two major milestones this year as we complete our strategic growth projects upstream in the aluminium value chain. Al Taweelah alumina refinery, and our bauxite mining project in Guinea where construction continues, secure our supply of raw materials at competitive prices and will strengthen EGA’s business for decades ahead. I want to thank every colleague who played a role in the safe and efficient completion of this important project.”
EGA starts Al Taweelah alumina refinery, in a milestone for its strategic upstream expansion and for UAE industry. Read more: https://t.co/cv7E2jOOM8 #WeAreEGA #OurMetal pic.twitter.com/fdP7Fs0cg7
— Emirates Global Aluminium (@egaofficial) April 10, 2019
Once the new facility is fully operational, it is expected to convert some five million tonnes of bauxite into alumina each year. EGA will source bauxite for Al Taweelah from Compagnie des Baxuites de Guinée in West Africa. EGA is currently building its own bauxite mine and export facilities in Guinea and plans to export bauxite to customers around the world from the second half of this year.
Pre-construction work began in October 2013 with the workforce peaking at 11,542 people. Al Taweelah alumina refinery covers an area equivalent to 200 football fields with some 585 people working in the operations team.