Saudi, Alcoa aluminium smelter production to top initial target this year

[rss]

(Adds background, quotes) DUBAI, May 12 (Reuters) - Saudi Arabian Mining Co (Ma'aden) said a massive smelter run jointly with U.S. group Alcoa, which had experienced few technical glitches on start-up, will produce above its initial capacity target this year. The smelter started commercial operations last year after facing problems during the start-up phase. Ma'aden, the Gulf's largest miner, is currently exporting around 70 to 80 percent of the smelter's production, Thomas Walpole, senior vice president, Aluminium, Ma'aden said at a conference in Dubai. The smelter had an initial annual capacity of 740,000 tonnes per year, but this year it is expected to achieve a slightly higher production of 760,000 tonnes, Walpole said.

أكثر... (https://en-maktoob.news.yahoo.com/saudi-alcoa-aluminium-smelter-production-top-initial-target-090817936--business.html)