Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA), the largest industrial company in the United Arab Emirates outside oil and gas, has signed an agreement with Gulf Cement Co to supply a byproduct from aluminium smelting over the next three years for use in cement manufacturing.

Although EGA has been supplying spent pot lining to the cement industry since 2010, the agreement is the first directly between EGA and a cement company rather than via specialist third party pre-processors.

EGA is building facilities at its Al Taweelah site to process spent pot lining so it is delivered ready to be used by cement companies as an alternative fuel and raw material.

Abdulla Kalban, Managing Director and CEO of EGA, said: “This direct agreement with Gulf Cement is a milestone in our drive to turn our byproducts into value by using them as feedstock for other industries. Finding economic uses for waste contributes to the achievement of ‘UAE Vision 2021’ environmental and economic goals and will benefit both our companies. We are glad to be working with Gulf Cement Company on this important project for the industrial sector in the UAE.”

His Highness Sheikh Kayed Bin Omar Bin Saqr Al Qasimi, Chairman of Gulf Cement, said: “Gulf Cement is a global player adopting the latest technology and we are indeed pleased to promote the utilisation of waste materials in order to preserve natural resources and protect the environment we all live in. As a market leader providing sustainable, high quality products meeting international standards, Gulf Cement looks forward to successfully implementing this agreement with EGA over the years ahead.”

Spent pot lining is the used inner lining of aluminium smelting pots, which is worn out and replaced every four to five years. It contains both carbon, which is an alternative fuel, and refractory materials that survive the firing process and become part of the finished cement.

Last year EGA supplied more spent pot lining to the UAE’s cement industry than it produced. EGA has been supplying Gulf Cement with spent pot lining via third parties for testing since 2015.

Globally, the aluminium industry produces more than 1 Mt/y of spent pot lining according to industry experts, and much is stored indefinitely. EGA has stockpiles of spent pot lining from previous years which will be gradually supplied to the cement industry.

Under the new agreement, EGA will deliver 2,000 t of spent pot lining to Gulf Cement in 2018.  In 2019, the volumes will increase to 10,000 t, followed by 15,000 t in 2020.