Mining projects and basic developmental infrastructure worth SR130 billion ($34.7 billion) were launched in Ras Al-Khair in the Eastern Region by Saudi Arabia's King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud.

King Salman was received by Prince Saud bin Abdullah bin Thinayan, the chairman of Royal Commission for Jubail and Yanbu; Prince Saud bin Naif bin Abdulaziz, Governor of the Eastern Region; Prince Faisal bin Turki bin Abdulaziz, adviser at the Ministry of Energy, Industry and Mineral Resources; Minister of Energy, Industry and Mineral Resources Engineer Khalid Al-Faleh, and a number of officials at the site, according to an SPA news agency report.

The projects undertaken include a $5.6 billion phosphate complex run by Ma'aden in partnership with Sabic and a $10.8 billion aluminum unit operated by Ma’aden and Alcoa.

Meanwhile, Sabic's vice chairman and chief executive officer Yousef bin Abdullah Al Bunyan commended King Salman for his patronage in launching a number of industrial and development projects in Jubail Industrial City, which are in line with the Saudi Arabia Vision 2030.

Al Bunyan further noted that the projects will contribute to achieving the country's economic goals, and also provide many job opportunities to Saudi nationals.