EGA joins Australian cooperative research centre, HILT CRC

EGA joins Australian cooperative research centre, HILT CRC

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