SNC-Lavalin, in consortium with Sinopec Engineering Group (SEG), has signed a major contract with Saudi Arabia’s Ma'aden for its 15,150 tonnes per day (tpy) sulphuric acid plant.

The contract is to provide engineering, procurement, construction, commissioning and start-up services for the three-line plant. Also included in the agreement are two 75 MW power plants that will recover heat generated by the acid plant operations.

The total value of the contract is approximately $764 million with SNC-Lavalin's portion estimated at $500 million, said a statement.

The project was awarded as part of Ma'aden's Waad Al Shamal Phosphate Project, which involves the conversion of phosphate ore from the Al Khabra mine into various end products, primarily for the agricultural sector.

The contract signing was formalised at a ceremony held in Turaif, Saudi Arabia.

The sulphuric acid plant will use industry leading technology from MECS, a wholly-owned subsidiary of DuPont, to produce acid and generate power through the efficient recovery of process waste heat. The project, scheduled to be operational in the fourth quarter of 2016, will be one of the largest complexes of its kind.

"We are honoured to be part of a project that will support Ma'aden in its mandate to develop its mineral resources and increase industrial development in the Northern Province and Al-Jouf areas of Saudi Arabia," said Dale Clarke, executive vice-president, SNC-Lavalin Group.

SNC-Lavalin is a longstanding leader in the sulphuric acid industry, having successfully installed more than 60 plants around the world over the past 25 years.

Ma'aden is a leading mining and metals company in Saudi Arabia, with a diverse portfolio of mineral assets at various stages of development including exploration, development and production. –TradeArabia News Service