Dubai Aluminium Company (Dubal) and Abu Dhabi-based Emirates Aluminium Company (Emal) expect to jointly import 650kt of calcined petroleum coke, 150kt of liquid pitch and 3.5Mt of alumina every year, for three years between 2010 and 2012.
These volumes are over and above the $1bn in strategic raw materials imported each year by Dubal through Jebel Ali Port for use in the company’s 1573-cell, eight pot line smelter in Jebel Ali, Dubai. This has a hot metal production capacity of 980kt/y, said Masoud Talib Al Ali, Dubal’s vice president for supply.
He said: “Some 40-50% of our total strategic raw material imports each year comprise alumina, the balance comprising calcined petroleum coke, liquid pitch, baked anodes, aluminium fluoride, pot lining materials, process materials and refractory items.”
Emal is a 50-50 joint venture between Dubal and Mubadala Development Company, Abu Dhabi’s investment vehicle.
By 2012, the Middle East is expected to account for about 10% of the world’s primary aluminium production, compared with just 4% in 2007. While global aluminium demand is forecast to grow by 4-5% in the next 20 years, demand for alumina is set to grow by 22% to 37Mt in 2010.
Source: Arab News, Dubai
