Emirates Global Aluminium, the biggest ‘premium aluminium’ producer in the world and the largest industrial company in the United Arab Emirates outside oil and gas, has joined HILT CRC to progress research into the decarbonisation of alumina refining.

HILT CRC (Heavy Industry Low-carbon Transition Cooperative Research Centre) is an Australian cooperative research centre bringing together industry, researchers and government to achieve technological breakthroughs in the decarbonisation of the steel, iron, alumina and cement industries. Australia is the world’s second largest alumina refining country and the largest alumina exporter.

Joining international research and technology providers, EGA is HILT’s first industry partner with operations entirely outside Australia. EGA’s Al Taweelah alumina refinery began production in 2019 and is the only alumina refinery in the UAE. EGA also operates aluminium smelters in Abu Dhabi and Dubai and a bauxite mine and associated export facilities in the Republic of Guinea.

EGA was the first aluminium producer in the Middle East to join the Aluminium Stewardship Initiative (ASI), and the first to achieve a site certification to the ASI Performance Standard.

In alumina refining, HILT CRC is focusing on decarbonising the production of steam for digestion, and calcination. The two processes account for the majority of greenhouse gas emissions from alumina refineries and are the most significant decarbonisation challenges at EGA’s Al Taweelah alumina refinery.

EGA is committed to reaching net zero by 2050 in line with the UAE’s Net Zero by 2050 Strategic Initiative, and has a roadmap to decarbonise all its operations.

Abdulnasser Bin Kalban, Chief Executive Officer of EGA, said: “Joining HILT CRC enables EGA to participate with the Australian alumina refining industry in finding technological solutions to the toughest decarbonisation challenges in alumina refining. EGA has a long history of partnering with others on research and development, and we are continuing this approach as we strive towards net zero by 2050. I look forward to some ground-breaking results from this collaboration.” 

HILT’s CEO, Felicity Lloyd, said: “EGA’s aspirations to be measured amongst the world’s most responsible metals and mining companies and their roadmap to reach net zero emissions by 2050, shows strong alignment with HILT CRC’s mission and strategy. EGA’s alumina refinery is one of the most modern in the world and is integrated with one of EGA’s world-scale aluminium smelters. EGA can make an important contribution to decarbonisation research including to the benefit of the Australian alumina industry. We look forward to collaborating on new technology developments and solutions to help the alumina industry to fully decarbonise.”

HILT CRC was established in June 2021 with the award of AUS$39 million of Australian government funds over 10 years, adding to the investment of approximately AUS$41.6 million cash and AUS$118.4 million of in-kind from its partners.

EGA joins 50 other partners across industry, research and government organisations who through HILT CRC will perform collaborative research dedicated to developing and demonstrating low-carbon technologies that will help transition the steel, iron, alumina, and cement industries to decarbonise heavy industry and grow the economy. 

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Contacts at EGA:
Simon Buerk
sbuerk@ega.ae
Contacts at HILT CRC:
Joanne Nikolas, Communications Coordinator, HILT CRC
Email: joanne.nikolas@hiltcrc.com.au

About EGA

Since 1975, when it was founded as Dubai Aluminium by His Highness Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Emirates Global Aluminium has been innovating aluminium to make modern life possible.

Today EGA is the world’s biggest ‘premium aluminium’ producer and the largest industrial company in the United Arab Emirates outside the oil and gas industry.

EGA is equally-owned by Mubadala Investment Company of Abu Dhabi and the Investment Corporation of Dubai. It is the largest company jointly owned by the two Emirates.

EGA is an integrated aluminium producer, with operations from bauxite mining to the production of cast primary aluminium. EGA operates aluminium smelters in Jebel Ali and Al Taweelah, an alumina refinery in Al Taweelah and a bauxite mine and associated export facilities in the Republic of Guinea.

EGA’s aluminium is the second largest made-in-the UAE export after oil and gas. In 2022, EGA sold 2.72 million tonnes of cast metal. EGA is the only UAE producer and makes the UAE the fifth largest aluminium producing nation in the world.

EGA has more than 400 customers in over 50 countries. In 2022, value-added products accounted for 78 per cent of EGA’s cast metal sales.

EGA’s aluminium is primarily used in the construction, automotive, packaging, aerospace and electronics industries.

Around 10 per cent of EGA’s aluminium production is sold in the UAE to around 20 downstream aluminium companies that make products with EGA’s aluminium. The growing broader aluminium sector in the UAE supports almost 50,000 jobs. EGA itself employs around 6,500 of these people including more than 1,200 UAE Nationals.

EGA has focused on technology development for over 30 years. EGA has used its own technology for every smelter expansion since the 1990s and has retrofitted all its older production lines. In 2016 EGA became the first UAE industrial company to licence its core industrial process technology internationally.

As a corporate citizen of the UAE, EGA aspires in all its operations to be measured amongst the world’s leading metals and mining companies in meeting its environmental and social responsibilities. In 2017, EGA became the first Middle East headquartered company to join the Aluminium Stewardship Initiative, a global programme to foster greater sustainability and transparency in the aluminium industry. In 2019, EGA’s Al Taweelah site became the first in the Middle East to receive certification from ASI for its sustainability practices and performance. EGA’s Jebel Ali site was certified in 2021. EGA’s bauxite mining subsidiary, Guinea Alumina Corporation, achieved the first ASI certification in Guinea in 2023. ASI certification is the aluminium industry’s internationally recognised standard for environmental and social performance and governance.

In 2021, EGA began production of CelestiAL solar aluminium, produced with solar power from the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park on the outskirts of Dubai. EGA is the first company in the world to make aluminium commercially using the power of the sun. 

EGA was formed in 2014 through the merger of Dubai Aluminium and Emirates Aluminium.

EGA’s Jebel Ali aluminium smelter began production as DUBAL in 1979. At almost five square kilometres, this site is five times bigger than Dubai Mall.

EMAL started production in 2009 and its Al Taweelah aluminium smelter was the largest single-site aluminium smelter in the world when completed. EGA’s Al Taweelah site is five times bigger than Al Maryah Island at six square kilometres.

EGA has its own power stations at both sites, producing electricity to meet its needs. EGA’s electricity generation capacity is 6,474 megawatts, making EGA the third largest electricity generator in the UAE after the Dubai and Abu Dhabi utilities. EGA also produces water through desalination units at its power plants.

EGA began production at Al Taweelah alumina refinery in April 2019. EGA’s alumina refinery is the first in the UAE and only the second in the Middle East. The project reduces the UAE’s dependence on imported alumina and supplies over 45 per cent of EGA’s needs.

Bauxite exports from Guinea Alumina Corporation, EGA’s wholly-owned subsidiary in Guinea, began in August 2019. The GAC project was one of the largest greenfield investments in Guinea in over 40 years. 

For more information on EGA please visit www.ega.ae.