Ragino Huo

Mozal is an aluminium smelter located in Beluluane Industrial Park, Maputo, Mozambique. The company was established in July 1998 by a consortium of investors led by BHP Billiton, with an initial budget of over 2 billion US dollars. At the time, Mozal was the largest industrial project ever undertaken in Mozambique. The Mozal project was officially launched in London on May 12, 1998, involving the construction and commissioning of a 250,000-ton-per-year primary aluminium smelter. Today, Mozal's annual production volume is around 565,000 tons. Following a de-merger from BHP Billiton in May 2015, Mozal became part of South32. The current shareholders are South32 – 63.7%, Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) – 32.4% and the Government of Mozambique – 3.9%. Mozal was officially inaugurated on 21st September 2000, showcasing to the world what could be achieved in Africa. Just nine months later, on June 21, 2001, approval was granted for an expansion project to double the smelter’s capacity. The expansion was successfully commissioned in August 2003, seven months ahead of schedule. In February 2013, Mozal signed an agreement to supply 50,000 tonnes of aluminium to Midal, one of the world's largest aluminium cable manufacturers, which has a presence in Mozambique. This agreement marked the beginning of Mozal’s participation in the local downstream industry.