Studies authorised on Abu Dhabi Aluminium Co smelter project

ABU DHABI — The Abu Dhabi Aluminium Company smelter project is fast progressing with the appointment of Bechtel to conduct an engineering study and Fichtner to conduct a study on power.

The world-class aluminium smelter would be built near the township of Ruwais in  Abu Dhabi. The development would see an aluminium smelter producing over 550,000 tonnes of metal established first. The smelter could be expanded over time to produce up to  two million tonnes of aluminium, making it the largest smelter in the world.

The next stage could see an alumina  refinery with a capacity of  two million metric tonnes per annum.  The Abu Dhabi Aluminium Company is a strategic alliance between General Holding Corporation (GHC) and Rio Tinto Aluminum.

The Abu Dhabi Aluminium Company integrated smelter facility received strong support last week from General Shaikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the United Arab Emirates Armed Forces and Chairman of Abu Dhabi Executive Council .

The company's steering committee guided by Shaikh Hamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, member of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council, Chairman of the Department of Planning and Economy and Chairman of GHC approved the appointment of the two contractors.

The engineering study will look at the development of the aluminium smelter and associated infrastructure for the project.

Shaikh Hamed said, "With the appointment of Bechtel as the engineering contractor, I hope the project would move fast. Bechtel has built most of the world's modern aluminium smelters."

"Fichtner would undertake an assessment of options for supplying power and water to the project."

The appointment of two world-class contractors to these studies signifies swift progress in furthering the project, which has the potential to create thousands of jobs and add billions to the nation's GDP, Shaikh Hamed said.

Rio Tinto is the second largest mining company in the world with a market capitalisation of $63 billion. Rio Tinto operates assets worldwide in iron ore,copper, industrial minerals, energy, aluminium and diamonds.

GHC is a 100 per cent government of Abu Dhabi owned industrial holding group. It owns and operates industries in steel, cement, cable, food, oil and gas fabricated processes and structures.