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Thursday, December 3 - 2009

Emal relocates local wildlife as part of environmental responsibility

  • United Arab Emirates: Sunday, January 18 - 2009 at 13:39
  • PRESS RELEASE

Emirates Aluminium (EMAL) has relocated local wildlife as part of the development of its smelter site in Taweelah.

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  • Endangered Wonder Gecko that was relocated to a safe habitat
    Endangered Wonder Gecko that was relocated to a safe habitat
The site, home to the world's biggest single site aluminium smelter, currently on schedule to produce hot metal in 2010, was home to an array of indigenous species of animals that EMAL relocated to ensure their well being.

The Taweelah site covers over six square kilometres of previously undeveloped land between Dubai and Abu Dhabi, which was inhabited by animals ranging from gerbils to spiny tailed lizards and even including the endangered Wonder Gecko. As part of it's commitment to the highest standards of environmental responsibility, EMAL undertook an in depth study to identify the affected species and ensured that they were all successfully relocated to the surrounding areas with minimum disruption.

"EMAL is committed to achieving the highest standards in environmental responsibility in every way possible. This is not limited to on-site recycling, controlled energy use and marine life protection but includes the protection of animals in the site area."


says Duncan Hedditch, CEO of EMAL.

EMAL took financial responsibility for the relocation project, which involved the identification and collection of twelve species of animals, ranging from desert hares to feral domestic cats and several species of viper. Upon collection, they were transported 100 kilometres and safely relocated to a similar habitat just outside of Sweihan, far away from the industrial zone.

This site was specifically chosen after extensive research with the assistance of the Environmental Agency - Abu Dhabi (EAD), in order to mimic the creatures' habitat as closely as possible.
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Log in to request more information from Emirates Aluminium (EMAL)

Notes and media contacts

EMAL is a joint venture (JV) between Dubai Aluminium Company Limited (DUBAL) and Mubadala Development Company (Mubadala) and was established in February 2007 to construct what will become the world's largest single site aluminium smelter complex. The project will be built in two phases and utilise Emirati-developed technology. At the end of phase one in 2010, EMAL will produce 700,000 tonnes of aluminium per annum and 1.4mn tonnes annually at the end of phase two. The aluminium complex, a 6sq km site in the Khalifa Port Industrial Zone in Taweelah, half way between Abu Dhabi and Dubai, will produce primary aluminium with a product mix of sow, standard ingot, billet, tee ingots and sheet ingot.

the project will encourage economic diversification, creating downstream opportunities. This development will benefit the UAE economy, employing more than 14,000 local and international contractors/staff during construction and 2000 people direct employment during operations.

EMAL adheres to strict environmental standards set by the Abu Dhabi Environmental Agency, with state-of the-art emission control equipment including sulphur-dioxide scrubbers, the latest potroom gas treatment technology, the best-available gas turbine systems, and cooling towers to eliminate thermal stress on local marine life.

For further Information, please contact:
- Rosine Feghali, Emirates Aluminium
Tel: 02 509 2290
- Antony Newton/Kate Taylor, Impact Porter Novelli-Dubai
Tel: 04 330 4030

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