Two companies plan to construct the first primary aluminum plant to be built in the United States in almost 50 years, the companies said on Monday, adding once complete, the smelter in Inola, Oklahoma will be the largest ever primary aluminum production plant in the U.S.

When the smelter in Oklahoma is completed by 2030, will have the capacity 750,000 tons, up from an original plan of 600,000 tons.

The plan was originally announced by Emirates Global Aluminum. Chicago based Century Aluminum said Monday that it was buying 40 per cent of the venture.

Emirates Global Aluminum has announced that it intends to spend $4 billion US to develop the project.

Century Aluminum  announced the new plant will create 1,000 permanent direct jobs at the facility and 4,000 jobs during construction.

President Donald Trump’s tariffs are factor in the deal Reuters reports. “The levy was doubled to 50% from June last year and pushed up the Midwest aluminum premium - which U.S. consumers typically pay on top of the London Metal Exchange aluminum price for physical metal - to a record 99 cents per lb this month, or around $2,183 per ton.”

The news release says:
The partnership combines EGA’s world-class expertise in aluminum smelting design and technology, construction and operation with Century’s extensive history and expertise operating aluminum smelters in the United States utilizing domestic supply chains. The project will use EGA’s latest state-of-the-art EX technology, the most advanced ever installed in the United States. Both parties will now solely focus their greenfield development efforts in the United States on the Inola, OK site.
Once complete, the Inola plant will be the largest ever primary aluminum production plant in the U.S., and the first built in nearly 50 years. About 85 percent of the aluminum needs of American industries are currently met by imports. The new smelter will expand the domestic supply of this critical mineral and grow the American aluminum workforce, revitalizing U.S. aluminum expertise and know-how.
Abdulnasser Bin Kalban, CEO of Emirates Global Aluminium, said; “We have made great progress preparing for the start of construction in Inola, and welcome Century as a partner in this important project for the future of American industry and now both our companies. EGA’s global skills, technology and capital are being joined by Century’s deep expertise and experience in the United States. Together we will make a huge contribution to rebuilding American aluminum production for the 21st century.”
Jesse Gary, CEO of Century Aluminum, said: “Our partner EGA brings world-class smelting technology and construction expertise that are fast-tracking our collective efforts to realize President Trump’s vision of rapidly increasing domestic primary aluminum production. Key industries, such as automotive, aerospace, construction, packaging and importantly, national defense, stand to benefit greatly from this expanded production of this critical metal, which will create thousands of new American manufacturing jobs. We are once again proving that President Trump’s leadership is working to spur investment and innovation to revitalize the U.S. aluminum industry, which is essential to our nation’s defense and the economic vitality of working-class communities across the country.”
The plant will be built at the industrial park at Tulsa Port of Inola, located on the McClellan-Kerr Arkansas River Navigation System (M-KARNS), which is connected to the Mississippi River system and provides for efficient bulk freight movement.

Century Aluminum describes itself as an integrated producer of bauxite, alumina, and primary aluminum products. Century is the largest producer of primary aluminum in the United States, and operates production facilities in Iceland, the Netherlands and Jamaica. In In 2015, Century announced the permanent closure of its Ravenswood, West Virginia plant, which had 650 workers, citing high energy costs and economic headwinds. In July 2022, Century idled its Hawesville, Kentucky plant, citing "soaring energy prices.”

Emirates Global Aluminum  is a state-owned enterprise, financed by United Arab Emirates sovereign wealth funds, jointly controlled by the Mubadala Investment Company and the Investment Corporation of Dubai. EGA operates aluminium smelters in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, an alumina refinery in Abu Dhabi, and a bauxite mine and associated export facilities in the Republic of Guinea, a speciality foundry in Germany, and an aluminium recycling plant in the United States.