EGA boosts Al Taweelah output with new ball mill expansion

Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA), the UAE’s largest industrial company and the world’s biggest producer of “premium aluminium”, has completed a debottlenecking expansion at its Al Taweelah alumina refinery, boosting production capacity by up to 50,000 tonnes of alumina per year.

The project centred on the installation of a third ball mill, strengthening operational resilience and paving the way for future output growth at the UAE’s only alumina refinery. Ball mills grind bauxite ore into fine particles for chemical processing into alumina. The additional unit enhances throughput, reduces the risk of unplanned outages, and improves overall availability alongside the two existing mills.

Executed entirely by EGA’s in-house teams, from engineering and project management to construction and commissioning, the project was completed in under two and a half years, recording over 650,000 work hours without a single Lost Time Injury.

Since its commissioning in 2019, Al Taweelah alumina refinery has consistently operated above its nameplate capacity of 2mn tonnes per year. In 2024, the facility supplied 49% of EGA’s total alumina needs, underscoring its strategic role in the company’s integrated value chain.

Abdulnasser Bin Kalban, Chief Executive Officer of Emirates Global Aluminium, said, “This expansion is a key step forward for Al Taweelah alumina refinery, unlocking additional production capacity as we reorient our bauxite supply chain beyond Guinea. It further strengthens our operational resilience and unlocks capacity growth. I thank every member of the team who contributed to this success.”