EGA is building a first of its kind pilot plant to tackle bauxite waste from aluminum refining

EGA begins construction of pilot plant to tackle aluminum refining waste: UAE Aluminum producer Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA) has started construction a first-of-its-kind pilot plant in Abu Dhabi to convert bauxite residue — a waste stream from aluminum refining — into manufactured soil, according a statement released on Thursday. The plant — located in Al Taweelah in Abu Dhabi — is expected to be completed in 2024, and will allow the company the ability to conduct large-scale trials for its aluminum waste management mechanism, the statement notes.

How it works: The pilot plant will neutralize caustic bauxite residue, transforming it into an environmentally raw material within hours, instead of undergoing a decades-long natural process, according to the statement. The neutralized bauxite residue will be used as the main ingredient for manufactured soil that the EGA calls ‘Turba’, the statement notes.

Why is this important? Laboratory-scale trials have proven EGA’s Turba enhances plant growth while using less water and fertilizer than local sandy alternatives, the company said. At full-scale operations, the plant will produce up to six tons per day of optimized bauxite residue — the main ingredient for the soil, according to the statement. The bauxite residue could also be used as a raw material for the steel, cement, and construction industries.

It’s been a long time coming: Breaking ground on the pilot projects comes on the back of five years of research and development by EGA and a team of global research partners, the statement notes.

EGA is heating up recycling efforts: The company began construction last week on the UAE’s largest aluminum recycling plant, which will process around 170k tons of aluminum scraps annually into low-carbon aluminum billets to supply local and global markets. It was also the first in the UAE to join the First Movers Coalition by sourcing the materials it needs for aluminum production from low-carbon sources.

And funneling finance towards greenifying supply chains: EGA launched a supply chain finance (SCF) program last month alongside Emirates NBD in October to help aluminum producers green their UAE operations, after having provided some USD 1.5 bn to its suppliers since the start of 2022 through its SCF programs.