EGA inks agreement with Gulf Extrusions for re-use of industrial by-product

On 1^st July 2021, Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA) inks agreement with Gulf Extrusions, a subsidiary of the Al Ghurair Group for the innovative re-use of an industrial by-product during the primary metal production process, replacing the use of fresh raw material, enhancing efficiency, and benefiting the environment.

The agreement is considered as another step by EGA to re-use waste streams as feedstocks by cooperating with other industries.

According to the agreement, Gulf Extrusions will supply EGA with some 450 tonnes of spent caustic soda from its Abu Dhabi and Dubai extrusion facilities every month for use in alumina refining.

In the aluminium extrusion production process, caustic soda is utilized to dissolve residue aluminium in the extrusion dies and to etch extruded aluminium profiles in the anodisation process.  Spent caustic soda from Gulf Extrusions is opulent with dissolved aluminium. Formerly, this by-product required extensive treatment at Gulf Extrusions, resulting in an aluminium-rich residue that was supplied as an additive to cement manufacturers in the UAE.

However, the innovative approach jointly developed by EGA and Gulf Extrusions eliminates the need for treatment and re-uses the aluminium content of the by-product, making it a cradle-to-cradle solution. The by-product also moderately reduces EGA’s requirement for fresh caustic soda and bauxite for Al Taweelah alumina refinery.

The versatile alkali caustic soda is required to dissolve the aluminium content of bauxite ore during the alumina refining.

Abdulnasser Bin Kalban, Chief Executive Officer of EGA, said: “Finding ways to re-use waste takes innovative thinking and close cooperation between companies and industries. But solutions like this agreement with Gulf Extrusions reduce the need for fresh raw material and are part of how we can address our global waste management challenge. The first priority must be eliminating waste generation, but we must think of waste we cannot avoid creating as a potential resource today rather than as our children’s problem.”

Christian Witsch, CEO of Gulf Extrusions, said: “EGA’s re-use of spent caustic soda to make full use of the aluminium content of this by-product will reduce the environmental impact of both our companies. I believe this is the first time in the world that an extrusion company is supplying this by-product to an alumina refinery for re-use, and I am proud that Gulf Extrusions is part of this innovative sustainability initiative.”

At Al Taweelah alumina refinery, EGA and Gulf Extrusions have already extensively trialled the re-use of spent caustic soda developing transport protocols to ensure its safe transfer between the two companies’ sites.