Trafigura and Modern Mining Holding Company to establish an integrated multi-metal smelter project in Ras Al Khair
Riyadh, 23 October 2018 - Today, Trafigura Pte Ltd signed an equal joint venture partnership with Modern Mining Holding Company, an affiliate of the Riyadh-based Modern Industrial Investment Holding Group to jointly work on developing an integrated copper, zinc, and lead smelter and refining complex in Ras Al-Khair Mineral City, Saudi Arabia.
The parties signed a binding agreement to develop, finance, and operate the multi-billion-dollar integrated smelter complex, and recently received a formal approval from the Ministry of Energy, Industry and Mineral Resources to establish the project in Ras Al-Khair. An initial scoping study has proven the project economical and will benefit from significant attractive attributes in the form of world-class infrastructure and logistics available at the proposed site.
The partners’ intention to develop a world-class smelter complex (“SmeltCo”) is seen as a pioneering project that will create significant value-added products that are able to compete globally, enhance the domestic metals and minerals conversion industry, and create job opportunities for Saudi citizens. Based on initial assessment the project is expected to generate about 3,000 direct jobs during construction and 1,200 permanent jobs in the operational phase. Abdulaziz Fahad Al Hamwah, Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Modern Mining has highlighted that SmeltCo closes the gap in the Kingdom’s “midstream” mining value chain with the production of high-quality premium base metals. The project is aligned with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 which calls for developing and capturing maximum value from the mining sector.
Under the joint venture Trafigura will provide its significant knowledge and understanding of the metals and mining industry and its own in-house technical and operational expertise to support the Kingdom’s Vision 2030.
For further information please contact:
The Modern Group Press Office: +966114191940 or info@moderngroup-sa.com
Trafigura Press Office: +41 22 592 45 28 or media@trafigura.com
About The Modern Group
The Modern Group is a conglomerate based in Saudi Arabia involved in various industrial sectors—with particular focus on metals and mining, petrochemicals, and healthcare.
Visit: http://www.moderngroup-sa.com/
About Trafigura
Founded in 1993, Trafigura is one of the largest physical commodities trading groups in the world. Trafigura sources, stores, transports and delivers a range of raw materials (including oil and refined products and metals and minerals) to clients around the world. The trading business is supported by industrial and financial assets, including 49.6 percent owned global oil products storage and distribution company Puma Energy; global terminals, warehousing and logistics operator Impala Terminals; Trafigura's Mining Group; and Galena Asset Management. The Company is owned by around 600 of its 3,935 employees who work in 62 offices in 35 countries around the world. Trafigura has achieved substantial growth over recent years, growing revenue from USD12 billion in 2003 to USD136.4 billion in 2017. The Group has been connecting its customers to the global economy for more than two decades, growing prosperity by advancing trade. Visit: www.trafigura.com