National Alluminium Company is actively exploring the possibility of setting up a joint venture project in the Middle-East, officials said on Saturday.
The company had short-listed Oman, Dubai and Qatar for locating the project and the feasibility report would be ready in two months, Nalco's chairman-cum-managing director C R Pradhan told newsmen.
Nalso, after completion of its second phase Rs 4091.51-crore (Rs 40.91 billion) expansion project, scheduled to commence within a month's time, would have surplus alumina of 1.2 million tonnes, Pradhan said.
The excess alumina could be utilised to set up a 600,000 tonne smelter unit and the possibilities of locating one in the Middle-East are being explored because of availability of cheap power there, he said.
"Talks are on with several parties," the CMD said.
Global aluminium prices are expected to rise to $1900 from $1850 a tonne by December because of a global supply crunch, he said.