Oklahoma state officials have announced a significant agreement with Emirates Global Aluminum for the construction of a $4 billion aluminum manufacturing facility in northeast Oklahoma. This facility represents the first new aluminum smelting operation to be built in the United States in 45 years.

Governor Kevin Stitt and officials from the Oklahoma Department of Commerce highlighted that the annual capacity of the smelter would be approximately 600 000 tons, which is equivalent to 544 000 metric tons of primary aluminum, according to a memorandum of understanding signed by Stitt and the company’s CEO.

The project is anticipated to generate around 1 000 direct jobs and an additional 1 800 indirect jobs, as stated by commerce officials. The facility will be built on more than 350 acres, or 140 hectares, at the Port of Inola, located east of Tulsa. However, the agreement’s implementation is dependent on the Oklahoma Legislature approving a financial incentives package that includes $275 million from the state, alongside state property, sales, and inventory tax exemptions.