UAE-based Emirates Aluminium (Emal) yesterday (September 15) celebrated a milestone achievement in its Phase II expansion, the First Hot Metal (FHM).

Completed three months earlier than scheduled, the milestone FHM marks the start of production for Emal’s Phase II, as it heads towards a total production of 1.3 million metric tonnes of aluminium a year.

Phase II has achieved FHM a full four months faster than Phase I, delivering 20 per cent more value in dollars per tonne investment, whilst maintaining a zero LTI record representing 40 million man-hours of work done.

Taking just two years, it is also the fastest that any aluminium smelter has reached FHM, a statement said.

Emal president and CEO Saeed Fadhel Al Mazrooei said: “Reaching first hot metal safer, faster and better not only exceeds the successes achieved in Phase I, but highlights the ability of Emirati excellence to set new industry standards on a global scale.”

Stretching 1.7km, Emal Phase II has the longest pot line in the world, consisting of 444 reduction pots built with Dubal aluminium for their cathode bus ring. Using Dubal developed DX+ technology, Phase II operates with the highest amperage in the region at 440 KA which is built to creep in future to reach 460 KA.

Among its world leading credentials Emal now possesses the largest single site production capacity - 1.3 million tonnes Al/year; the world’s longest potline ever built - 1.7km long; the world’s largest gas treatment centre; the world’s biggest anode baking furnace; the biggest single site captive power plant; the highest single-line capacity green anode manufacturing plant; the first to use 2000 V rectifier/transformers. Emal also has one of the largest single-site Casthouse, with a 1.65 million tonnes/year casting capacity.

One key implementation strategy of the Phase II capacity increase has been to ensure a contribution from Phase I “lessons learned” into the scope, construction, commissioning and start-up of the new facilities.

This contribution has been achieved by seconding a dedicated team of operations personnel to work along the project organization right from the start of the Feasibility Study in 2011.

This team of operations personnel – known as “the Ambassadors” – represent all areas of the plant and are responsible for the “integration” of the new facilities with Phase 1.

“The expansion of Al Taweelah into one of the largest single-site smelters in the world is a project to be welcomed by all Emiratis,” said Yousuf Bastaki, Emal vice president – Projects.

“To exceed our previous accomplishments by reaching first hot metal ahead of schedule and without a single LTI is testament to the skill and commitment of everyone involved in delivering this major industrial project, which will help provide a sustainable economy well into the future.” – TradeArabia News Service