The General Manager of Commercial Services at the Saline Water Conversion Corporation (SWCC), Eng. Mohammed Al-Ghamdi, announced the start of operations for two new Chinese plants at the Ras Al Khair station in eastern Saudi Arabia.
These plants will focus on utilizing brine water and extracting minerals, with operations beginning in the first quarter of 2026.
The SWCC has made agreements with local and international companies to develop investment opportunities in brine mining.
These agreements were disclosed during the Future Minerals Forum in Riyadh last week.
As part of these agreements, two plants will be established in collaboration with Chinese partners in Ras Al Khair, targeting the extraction of essential minerals and salts from brine water, contributing to the circular economy outlined in “Vision 2030.”
Brine water, a byproduct of seawater desalination, contains high levels of salts and minerals like sodium chloride, magnesium chloride, potassium chloride, bromine, and others.
This approach helps reduce waste from seawater desalination and lessens reliance on mineral imports.
Al-Ghamdi emphasized the importance of brine water due to its high salt content.
He highlighted that extracting minerals and essential elements from it for the market is cost-effective and energy-efficient, presenting significant economic opportunities given the abundance of these waters.
Al-Ghamdi shared that investments in brine mining are projected to reach about SAR 8 billion ($2.1 billion dollars) by 2030, boosting the local economy.
He pointed out upcoming efforts to extract essential minerals like magnesium, potassium, and high-purity sodium chloride. These minerals are vital for diverse industries in the Kingdom.
Al-Ghamdi confirmed that the new plants will help produce elements like sodium and bromine within the Kingdom, reducing the need for imports
The goal is to meet 25%- 40% of the local market demand by 2030.
