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Mubadala considers an alumina refinery at its Emal smelter site
Edited by : AL CIRCLE
2 min read
The owners of the world's largest aluminium smelter, which is being built in Abu Dhabi, are studying the addition of an alumina refinery to the site that could transform the emirate into a global hub for aluminium production.
Mubadala Development, a strategic investment company owned by the Abu Dhabi Government, has issued a tender to study the feasibility of developing a refinery at its existing Emirates Aluminium (Emal) smelter site in Taweelah.
That would give the operation much greater control over its own supply chain by allowing it to convert bauxite ore into alumina.
"In terms of single-site smelters, Emal is going to be huge," said Olivier Masson, an aluminium consultant at CRU, a London-based metals intelligence company. "It shows that Abu Dhabi is looking at ways to put its gas to productive use. No other smelter in the Gulf has a refinery yet."
Emal, a joint venture between Dubai Aluminium (Dubal) and Mubadala, is building the world's largest single-site smelter at a 6-square-kilometre location at the Khalifa Industrial Zone in Taweelah, between the cities of Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
About US$5.7 billion (Dh20.9bn) has already been spent developing the first phase of the project, with $4.5bn being spent on the second phase, putting the country among the world's top aluminium producers. The second phase of the project is expected to be completed by 2014.
The plant will also be able to supply molten aluminium to processors based around the site, reducing the cost of transporting the metal in solid ingots and billets that have to be remelted.
"In the context of our continuing collaboration in the aluminium sector, Mubadala and Dubal are currently conducting preliminary studies as to the feasibility of constructing an alumina refinery in relative proximity to Emirates Aluminium," Mubadala said in a statement yesterday.
The business magazine MEED earlier reported a refinery could cost upwards of $1.5bn.
Mubadala Development, a strategic investment company owned by the Abu Dhabi Government, has issued a tender to study the feasibility of developing a refinery at its existing Emirates Aluminium (Emal) smelter site in Taweelah.
That would give the operation much greater control over its own supply chain by allowing it to convert bauxite ore into alumina.
"In terms of single-site smelters, Emal is going to be huge," said Olivier Masson, an aluminium consultant at CRU, a London-based metals intelligence company. "It shows that Abu Dhabi is looking at ways to put its gas to productive use. No other smelter in the Gulf has a refinery yet."
Emal, a joint venture between Dubai Aluminium (Dubal) and Mubadala, is building the world's largest single-site smelter at a 6-square-kilometre location at the Khalifa Industrial Zone in Taweelah, between the cities of Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
About US$5.7 billion (Dh20.9bn) has already been spent developing the first phase of the project, with $4.5bn being spent on the second phase, putting the country among the world's top aluminium producers. The second phase of the project is expected to be completed by 2014.
The plant will also be able to supply molten aluminium to processors based around the site, reducing the cost of transporting the metal in solid ingots and billets that have to be remelted.
"In the context of our continuing collaboration in the aluminium sector, Mubadala and Dubal are currently conducting preliminary studies as to the feasibility of constructing an alumina refinery in relative proximity to Emirates Aluminium," Mubadala said in a statement yesterday.
The business magazine MEED earlier reported a refinery could cost upwards of $1.5bn.
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