The Saudi Arabian Mining Company (Ma'aden) investments have now exceeded SR85 billion ($22.6 billion) making the kingdom a major player in the phosphate and aluminium industry, according to experts.

Ma'aden, they stated, was playing a key role by developing the mining sector as the third pillar of Saudi economy, beyond oil and petrochemicals.

Through its investments, Ma'aden is turning the kingdom into a major player in global markets for phosphate, aluminum, gold, copper and industrial minerals.

With its partner Sabic, Ma'aden has invested SR21 billion ($5.59 billion) in the Ma'aden Phosphate Company which operates in Al Jalamid in the Northern Province and the Eastern Province's Ras Al-Khair.

The mine produces 11.6 million tonne of ore per year, and significant infrastructure investments in Al Jalamid, include a power plant, potable water and communications facilities, and transport networks that make exploration and production viable, said the industry experts.

From Al Jalamid, concentrated rock is taken by rail to Ras Al- Khair for processing in its network of facilities including phosphoric acid, sulfuuric acid, ammonia, DAP granulation and desalination plants. At full capacity, MPC will produce three million tons of DAP (fertilizer) annually. Most of Ma'aden fertilizer production is sold to international markets, they added.

Ma'aden's second large phosphate project is a fully integrated facility at Wa'ad Al Shamal minerals industrial city.

With over SR27 billion ($7.19 billion) investments, the new complex will include seven large world-class plants and associated facilities, making it one of the largest phosphate facilities in the world.

Total production capacity will be close to 16 million tonne per year, including three million tonne of finished fertilizer products, as well as 440,000 tons of downstream products. Complementary plants to produce ammonia and phosphate-based fertilizers will be built near the port facilities at Ras Al-Khair; the twin sites will be linked by the North-South Railway.

In 2009, Ma'aden had established a joint venture with Alcoa, the world's third-largest aluminum producer, to build the world's most efficiently integrated aluminum project in Saudi Arabia, said the experts.

This SR40 billion ($10.6 billion) project includes a bauxite mine in Baitha in the Qassim region, and a refinery, a smelter and a very advanced rolling mill all at Ras Al-Khair.

Its product, aluminum of the highest international standards will be sold to the domestic and global markets. It will also encourage the development of additional downstream industries within Saudi Arabia, they added.-Reuters