Emirates Global Aluminium PJSC (EGA) announced on Friday a new project to manufacture silicon metal domestically in the United Arab Emirates in order to assure a constant supply for use in producing premium grades of aluminium alloy.
At present, the UAE imports the entirety of silicon it uses in industry, and EGA is the country’s biggest importer of it, bringing in about 60 thousand metric tons per annum. Currently about a quarter of EGA’s production of aluminium is as high-strength aluminium alloys for use in the automotive industry.
In addition to use for producing aluminium alloys, EGA points out that silicon is used in several other industries in the UAE, including in production of contact lens adhesives, solar photovoltaics, and semiconductors.
Abdulnasser Bin Kalban, Chief Executive Officer of EGA, said in a press release that the plan is part of a broader goal of producing more value-added products in the UAE.
“Developing a silicon metal manufacturing facility would secure our supply of a strategic raw material. Once we have met our own demand we could expand further, creating a new growth opportunity for our company while supporting the development of new local industries in line with the goals of Operation 300bn and Make it in the Emirates, and the global energy transition. We could begin construction of a silicon metal plant as soon as next year.”
Based in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Emirates Global Aluminium is an aluminium conglomerate created by the merger between Dubai Aluminium (DUBAL) and Emirates Aluminium (EMAL) in 2013. EGA had an estimated enterprise value of US$15 billion at the time the merger took place. The firm is owned equally by Mubadala Development Company of Abu Dhabi and Investment Corporation of Dubai. Emirates Global Aluminium holds interests in bauxite/alumina and primary aluminium smelting.