Worldal.com reported that Alcoa Inc started construction on the site of an alumina refinery in Saudi Arabia.

Alcoa said that ceremonies were held to mark the official groundbreaking at the refinery and the pouring of the first concrete at the aluminum rolling mill. The USD 10.8 billion project at Ras Al Khair on the country's east coast is JV with the Saudi Arabian Mining Company known as Maaden. The complex will mine bauxite and refine the ore into alumina, which will be processed at 740,000 tonne per year smelter.

Mr Kenneth Wisnoski who heads Alcoa's division that encompasses growth, energy, bauxite and Africa, said that the 380,000 tonnes rolling mill will initially make aluminum sheet for cans, and in the future may produce metal for building products or car parts.

(Sourced from www.worldal.com)