India’s Future Metals has put on hold its plans for a $50m deoxidised aluminium rod plant next to the Sohar Aluminium smelter in Oman.

I don’t know how long it will be on hold for, but there is no sign of it becoming live again soon

Source close to the Sohar project

The construction tender for the 40,000 tonnes-a-year plant (t/y) was due to be sent out in June, but that will not happen, says a source close to the project.

“After a series of discussions Future Metals have taken a back step on this project,” the source says. “I don’t know how long it will be on hold for, but there is no sign of it becoming live again soon.”

Deoxidised aluminium rods, also known as flip rods, are used in the steel industry to remove excess oxygen during the steel making process and the output from the facility was planned to be sold in the Indian and Gulf markets.  

Future Metals was developing the project with Oman’s state-controlled Takamul Investments Company.

The facility was due to take its primary metal from the 360,000-t/y Sohar smelter and form part of a metals park that is set to also include a 160,000-t/y rolling mill developed by a joint venture between Takamul, the Abu Dhabi Water and Electric Authority (Adwea) and Bahrain’s Gulf Aluminium Rolling Mill Company (Garmco).