Mozal Aluminium Smelter

Mozal (Mozambique Aluminium) is a large-scale aluminium smelter located in the Beluluane Industrial Park near Maputo, Mozambique. Originally a joint venture between BHP (now South32), Mitsubishi, the Industrial Development Corporation of South Africa, and the Government of Mozambique, the smelter was built in two phases. Phase I commenced production in 2000 and Phase II in 2003, bringing total capacity to approximately 563,000 tonnes of primary aluminium per year. The smelter draws power from the Cahora Bassa hydroelectric dam and uses alumina imported primarily from Australia. Mozal is the single largest industrial project in Mozambique's history and accounts for a significant share of the country's export revenue.

1. 01Produce over 560,000 tonnes per year of primary aluminium ingots for global export markets
2. 02Leverage Mozambique's abundant low-cost hydroelectric power for energy-intensive industrial production
3. 03Diversify Mozambique's economy beyond agriculture and extractive resources
4. 04Create sustained employment and skills development in modern heavy industry
5. 05Generate significant export revenue and government fiscal receipts for Mozambique
6. 06Serve as an anchor investment to attract further industrial development to the Beluluane Industrial Park

1. 1998 · completed

   Phase I Construction Begins

   Construction of the first phase of the smelter begins in the Beluluane Industrial Park. Estimated cost of Phase I is $1.34 billion. BHP leads the consortium.

2. 2000 · completed

   Phase I First Metal Production

   Mozal produces its first aluminium in June 2000, just 26 months after construction started — a record for a greenfield smelter. Phase I capacity of approximately 253,000 tonnes per year.

3. 2003 · completed

   Phase II Completion and Full Capacity

   Phase II doubles smelter capacity to approximately 563,000 tonnes per year with the addition of a second potline. Total investment across both phases reaches $2.4 billion.

4. 2014 · completed

   Transfer to South32

   BHP Billiton demerges its non-core assets into a new company called South32, which takes over BHP's majority stake in Mozal. South32 becomes the primary operator.

5. 2020 · completed

   Operational Optimisation

   Mozal implements potline modernisation programs to improve current efficiency and reduce energy consumption per tonne of aluminium produced.

6. 2025 · in progress

   Continued Operations and Sustainability Focus

   Mozal continues operating near nameplate capacity, contributing approximately 60% of Mozambique's manufacturing exports. Focus on renewable energy credentials given hydro-powered production.

• Hall-Heroult electrolytic reduction process with 1,080 prebaked anode reduction cells across two potlines
• Prebaked anode manufacturing facility producing carbon anodes on-site for the reduction process
• Cast house with multiple furnaces producing standard ingots, T-bars, and sow for export
• Advanced potline process control systems for optimising energy efficiency and aluminium quality
• Fume treatment centres with dry scrubbing systems for fluoride emission recovery and environmental control
• Direct current power supply infrastructure drawing from the Mozambique national grid (Cahora Bassa hydro)

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• South32 (47.1%)
• Mitsubishi (25%)
• IDC of South Africa (24%)
• Government of Mozambique (3.9%)