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United Arab Emirates

Open in the explorerOrganisations (5)Events

Production, refining and reserves

CommodityMetricValueWorld rank · shareSource
AluminaRefinery production 20252.3 million t alumina (calcined equivalent weight)#6 · 2%USGS MCS 2026
AluminiumRefinery production 20252.7 million t primary aluminium (smelter production)#5 · 4%USGS MCS 2026
SulfurRefinery production 20256.3 million t S content#5 · 8%USGS MCS 2026

Policies and export measures

Policy tracker →

  • 2026-02-04 · agreement

    UAE–United States Framework on Securing Supply in the Mining and Processing of Critical Minerals and Rare Earths

    The UAE Minister of Investment and the US Under Secretary of State for Economic Affairs signed a framework on the sidelines of the US Critical Minerals Ministerial to accelerate secure supply of critical minerals and rare earths, drawing on US industrial demand and stockpiling tools and the UAE's strategic reserves. Both sides commit to support investment through financing, guarantees, equity, offtake, insurance and regulatory facilitation, to identify priority projects and take financing steps within six months, and to cooperate on permitting, recycling, geological mapping and responses to non-market practices.

    Source: Embassy of the United Arab Emirates in Washington, DC

Trade in critical minerals

Exports 2024$10 bn

  1. Aluminium$7.8 bnto United States of America 16%, Japan 12%, Türkiye 11% · 62 more
  2. Copper$1.3 bnto China 63%, South Korea 20%, Japan 7% · 21 more
  3. Platinum$1.1 bnto India 98%, Hong Kong 1%, Thailand 1% · 3 more
  4. Lead$85 mto Pakistan 56%, India 36%, Türkiye 4% · 9 more
  5. Lithium*$64 mto India 62%, China 36%, Austria 1% · 22 more
  6. Zinc$33 mto India 43%, Thailand 26%, Spain 9% · 16 more
  7. Chromium$24 mto China 76%, Saudi Arabia 24%, Pakistan 0% · 3 more
  8. Molybdenum$24 mto Malaysia 69%, India 31%, Thailand 0% · 3 more

and 34 more commodities

Imports 2024$3.2 bn

  1. Alumina$1.3 bnfrom Australia 80%, India 9%, Indonesia 8% · 21 more
  2. Copper$549 mfrom Zambia 44%, Saudi Arabia 36%, Seychelles 7% · 39 more
  3. Manganese*$282 mfrom India 83%, Saudi Arabia 7%, South Africa 7% · 14 more
  4. Zinc$222 mfrom India 30%, Spain 27%, Singapore 15% · 24 more
  5. Silicon$138 mfrom China 94%, India 3%, Kuwait 1% · 13 more
  6. Aluminium$101 mfrom Saudi Arabia 31%, United Kingdom 13%, Kenya 10% · 53 more
  7. Lead$88 mfrom Saudi Arabia 69%, India 17%, Pakistan 6% · 16 more
  8. Chromium$83 mfrom South Africa 75%, India 21%, Albania 3% · 8 more

and 34 more commodities

Trade values in current US dollars (ores, concentrates, intermediates, chemicals and refined metal), not prices. * Includes HS codes that also cover other products. Source: CEPII BACI (HS22), Etalab Open Licence 2.0 — details.

Fiscal regime for mining

No fiscal terms recorded for United Arab Emirates yet.

Deals and financing (2)

  1. 2025-01-30 · Joint venture · signed · US$1,200 m

    ADQ → Orion Resource Partners · Orion Abu Dhabi (OMF (ME) JV LP)

    ADQ and Orion Resource Partners set up a 50:50 Abu Dhabi-based joint venture to deploy an initial USD 1.2 billion over four years in metals and mining investments and long-term sourcing agreements.

    official release

  2. 2023-07-17 · Strategic partnership · announced

    ITOCHU Corporation → Emirates Global Aluminium PJSC · EGA aluminium supply and growth (UAE)

    ITOCHU and Emirates Global Aluminium signed an MoU in Abu Dhabi on aluminium production growth, sustainable aluminium supply to global markets and decarbonisation, building on ITOCHU's 40 years of selling EGA products.

    official release

Mines and facilities (0)

No mines or facilities recorded yet.

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