Oklahoma Primary Aluminum details 99% fluoride capture plan for proposed 750,000-tonne smelter

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Oklahoma Primary Aluminum has outlined the environmental controls planned for its proposed aluminium smelter at the Tulsa Port of Inola, a project that could add up to 750,000 tonnes of annual primary aluminium capacity in the United States.

The proposed facility is expected to create at least 1,000 permanent direct jobs, according to the company. It is also part of the broader effort to expand domestic aluminium manufacturing and reduce US reliance on imported primary metal, although the project remains under regulatory review.

Speaking to a media outlet, Project Director Ziad Fares addressed concerns raised about fluoride emissions and the potential impact on nearby farms and ranches. When asked about whether the proposed smelter would be safe, He commented, “Absolutely, otherwise, we're not going to be allowed to build, and we're not going to build.”

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He said the company is working with the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) to determine the best available pollution-control technologies for the facility.

The company's initial air permit application listed a maximum total fluoride emissions rate of 1.02 pounds per tonne of aluminium produced. Fares said this figure represents a maximum permitted level rather than the facility's expected actual emissions. In his words, "That initial number that we put there will most likely be updated…This is not the actual emission level. We will actually be well below that number." 

The company expects the proposed smelter to capture around 99 per cent of the fluoride used in production. The facility would use hooding systems, automation and operating procedures to limit fluoride escaping from production equipment, followed by dry and wet scrubbing systems to further reduce emissions.

Fluoride captured through the dry scrubbing process could also be returned to the production process rather than released, allowing the material to be reused.

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The proposed Inola smelter would use the latest generation of proprietary aluminium-smelting technology developed by Emirates Global Aluminium, according to Fares. He shared that the technology is currently being piloted in the United Arab Emirates and is designed to improve efficiency by using less electricity while supporting greater production within a smaller footprint.

The facility's proposed design also includes enclosed material handling, modern pollution-control equipment, continuous monitoring and digital systems designed to identify abnormal operating conditions. "The smelter will be using the best available and latest control technologies to ensure that the environmental impact of that activity is reduced to the extent possible." 

Environmental modelling will form part of the permitting process. According to Fares, the modelling will consider proposed emissions, local terrain and weather patterns to assess potential concentrations and effects on people, vegetation, soil and livestock.

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The final environmental controls, monitoring and reporting requirements have not yet been determined. Oklahoma DEQ is still reviewing the company's application for a Tier III major-source construction permit, which remains in the technical review stage with the current status listed as “Awaiting Applicant Response.”

If approved and built, the UAE-backed investment could become a major addition to US primary aluminium capacity at a time when the country is seeking to strengthen domestic aluminium manufacturing.