Maaden to launch environmental project in Hazm Al-Jalamid

Saudi Arabian Mining Company (MAADEN) plans to launch an environmental project to expand the agricultural area in Hazm Al-Jalamid, home to one of the company’s most important phosphate mines, the mining firm said in a statement.

The move comes in line with Maaden’s sustainable development strategies, the statement said.

In 2010, phosphate was discovered in Al-Jalamid, which is located 120 kilometers from Arar, the capital of Northern Borders Province, located near the Iraqi border.

Maaden plans to cultivate the Haloxylon and Ziziphus spina-christi desert plants in Al-Jalamid, aiming to combat desertification and develop the area’s natural agriculture.

Maaden Phosphate Company was established as a joint venture between Maaden and Saudi Basic Industries Corp. (SABIC), with an investment of SAR 21 billion. Maaden owns a 70 percent stake in the company, while SABIC holds the remaining 30 percent.

The company has a total capacity of 3 million tons of phosphate a year. It markets about 70 percent of its production from two major sites, Al-Jalamid in the north of the Kingdom, and Ras Al-Khair (RAK) in the Eastern Province.