The Ma'aden Alcoa aluminum joint venture announced that it has poured the first concrete in the construction of the region's first alumina refinery at the fully integrated aluminum complex at Ras Al Khair. Once complete, the refinery of the Saudi Arabian Mining Company "Ma'aden" will initially produce 1.8 million metric tons of smelter-grade alumina per year. In another first within the Kingdom, the refinery will utilize a technologically advanced, engineered natural system to treat, recycle and conserve significant volumes of water, according to a report published today by Saudi Gazette. --MORE