Hatch and SNC Lavalin win UAE alumina refinery studies

09 July 2012

Canadian engineering consultancies to carry out feasibility work for proposed Abu Dhabi aluminium project

The local Mubadala Development Company and Dubai Aluminium have selected Canada’s Hatch and SNC Lavalin to carry out feasibility studies for a proposed alumina refinery in the UAE.

The two Canadian engineering consultancies will carry out separate studies for the project, with Hatch looking at the core technology and SNC Lavalin responsible for other proponents such as utilities and offsites.

“The decision has been made to go with two separate studies and these will be conducted over the coming months,” says an aluminium industry source familiar with the project. “The when they are completed the joint venture partners will be in a position to make a decision regarding the scheme.”

If the decision to carry on with a construction phase is taken, the new refinery is likely to be built next to the Emirates Aluminium (Emal) smelter at Taweelah in Abu Dhabi and would be the first upstream aluminium plant of its type to be built in the UAE.

MEED reported in May that due to the project being in its infancy, the exact scope of works for the proposed scheme has not yet been formulated. However, due to the economies of scale, the industry norm is usually to have a capacity of at least 1.5 million tonnes a year. The budget for similar schemes is usually more than $1.5bn.

A metals park has been planned by Abu Dhabi at Taweelah for several years. A $125m aluminium extrusion plant at the park is prequalifying contractors, while a rolling mill that has been delayed is now planning to tender contracts in 2013.

The Emal smelter has a capacity of 750,000 t/y and is currently undergoing a phase two expansion that would double capacity. The first production from the phase two is expected at the end of 2013, with production slowly increased over the following 18 months. 

Emal is a 50:50 joint venture between Mubadala and Dubal.

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