Aug 20, 2020
Saudi Arabian Mining Company (Ma’aden) and the National Water Company (NWC) today signed an agreement to supply Ma’aden’s industrial complexes in Wa’ad Al-Shamal with recycled water for industrial and mining purposes, in quantities of up to 115,000 m3 per day, approximately one billion m3 of treated water over 25 years.
The agreement was signed by the CEO of NWC and the CEO of Ma’aden, in the presence of the Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture, Chairman of the Board of Directors at NWC, and several other officials.
The project represents the two companies’ commitment to environmental sustainability, through the implementation of strategic and operational programs that are in line with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 goals of achieving water sustainability and enhancing environmental safety for the overall community. Ma’aden will use the recycled water to promote afforestation and improve the operational efficiency of its Wa’ad Al-Shamal site in the North of the Kingdom. Doing so will reduce the prevalence of desertification and promote the growth of vegetation.
NWC will supply Ma’aden with at least 12 million m3 of recycled water per year to be utilized in Ma’aden’s industrial complexes. A system of transmission lines will link all components of the project together, connecting the cities of Sakaka, Arar, Tarif and Wa’ad Al-Shamal. The complex, located in Wa’ad Al-Shamal, spans a total length of more than 437km; boasts 17 tanks in five different locations with a capacity of 810,000 m3 per day; and a purification plant with a capacity of 115,000 cubic meters. The entire system will be monitored and controlled through the latest technical follow-up system, SCADA, at a cost exceeding SAR 1.6 billion.
The agreement is representative of Ma’aden’s overall commitment to environmental sustainability. The project will encompass all of Ma’aden’s activities in the exploration and production of aluminum, gold, copper, and phosphate fertilizers and is in line with global best practices for Health, Safety and Environment in mining.
This strategic long-term partnership with NWC reinforces Ma’aden’s continuing pursuit of sustainable growth and commitment to the people of Saudi Arabia, fulfilling its role as a trusted and welcomed neighbor in the communities around the mines.
The project also serves as testament to Ma’aden and NWC’s working relationship, which saw previous success transporting treated wastewater from Taif to Ma'aden's Duwaihi mine and plant via a 430 km pipeline. The pipeline currently extends to the Al-Duwaihi mine and plant, and will soon be able to reach the Al-Rajum mine and factory, the Mansoura factory, the Masara mine, and the Al-Souq factory located within the Makkah region—all of which produce gold, copper and zinc.