The Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources Ali bin Ibrahim Al-Naimi made today an inspection tour of projects of Ma'aden (Metals) Company in the city of Ras Al-Khair for mining industry in the Eastern Region. The Minister was accompanied by Prince Faisal bin Turki bin Abdulaziz, Advisor to the Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, and Advisor for the Ministry's Corporate Affairs Abdulrahman Mohammed Abdulkarim. The tour included aluminum smelter, rolling mill aluminum plates plant, the project of platelets for the automotive industry, Al-Buai'thah mine, alumina refinery, phosphate compound, Ras Al-Khair Port, and housing village. The Minister met a number of Ma'aden's engineers, technicians and staff whose number reaches 4,000 employees including more than 70% of Saudis, 1100 trained in the Kingdom, and 300 abroad. Minister Al-Naimi said in a statement to Saudi Press Agency (SPA), ' In implementation of the directives of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and the Crown Prince, the objective of the establishment of this industrial city of mining is to support the manufacturing at all levels and types in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and get the highest possible of the added value in the Kingdom. There is no doubt that the construction of the mining sector serves the homeland and citizens over the long term and contributes to creating thousands of jobs for the people of the Kingdom , especially in the technical jobs, as well as investment opportunities for citizens and international companies.' He added, 'These mega projects contribute to economic diversification, achievement of high returns for shareholders and investors , transfer and localization of technical professions with high skills. The mining industry constitutes an important basis for the diversity of the economy and the development of new industries based on their outputs .'
