Maaden temporarily shuts down ammonia plant after fire

RIYADH: Saudi Arabian Mining Company (Maaden) said it shut down one of its ammonia plants as a precautionary measure after a fire.
The incident occurred on Thursday and the fire was fully controlled, the company said in a stock exchange filing on Sunday. There were no injuries reported.
The company said it decided on an unscheduled shutdown as a precautionary measure.
“Since this unscheduled shutdown has not impacted the company’s ability to produce phosphate or to fulfill its obligations toward its customers, the preliminary estimates of the financial impact indicates that such shutdown is limited and does not constitute a material impact,” the company said in a filing.
Maaden is currently assessing the financial impact of the disruption which will be disclosed as well as any other developments, it said.
Maaden Phosphate Company is a $5.6 billion project co-owned by Maaden (70 percent) and Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (SABIC) (30 percent).
Its phosphate mine produces close to 11.6 million tons of ore per year.
From Al Jalamid, concentrated phosphate rock is transported by rail over 1,200 kilometers to Ras Al Khair Industrial City for processing at Maaden’s Integrated Fertilizer Production Complex, according to the company's website.