A major new primary aluminum smelter planned in Oklahoma could significantly reshape the United States’ aluminum production landscape, marking the first greenfield aluminum smelting facility built in the country since the 1980s.

Emirates Global Aluminum (EGA) and Century Aluminum Company have announced a strategic partnership to develop the Oklahoma Primary Aluminum project in Inola, Oklahoma. Under the agreement, EGA will hold a 60% ownership stake, while Century Aluminum will own the remaining 40%.

The new facility is designed to produce 750,000 metric tons of primary aluminum annually, a capacity that would more than double the current U.S. primary aluminum output. Once operational, the smelter is expected to become the largest primary aluminum production plant in the United States.

Beyond its industrial significance, the project is also expected to deliver a substantial economic impact. The development will create approximately 1,000 permanent jobs once operational and an estimated 4,000 jobs during the construction phase.

The smelter will integrate EGA’s latest EX smelting technology, combining the company’s technological expertise and capital investment with Century Aluminum’s long-standing operational experience in the U.S. aluminum sector.

According to the U.S. Department of Energy, the country currently operates four primary aluminum smelters, producing around 683,500 metric tons annually, a dramatic decline from earlier decades when 33 smelters produced up to 5 million tons per year.