Saudi mining group Maaden has awarded a contract worth SR1.04 billion ($278 million) to WorleyParsons Arabia and Jesa International for the construction of Phase One of its Phosphate 3 complex project in the kingdom.

As per the 42-month contract, the two firms will provide engineering, procurement and construction management (EPCM) services for the project, stated Maaden in its filing to the Saudi bourse Tadawul.

The integrated production facilities will be built in the industrial cities of Wa’ad Al Shamal and Ras Al Khair.

On completion, the complex will produce 1.5 tonnes per year of phosphate fertilisers, it added.

Maaden said the financial impact will be known after completion of construction and the start of production.

Earlier, Maaden had completed the commissioning of utilities on a $900-million ammonia plant set up in Ras Al Khair.

The ammonia plant was the first project in the $6.4-billion ‘Phosphate 3’ expansion scheme in Maaden’s phosphate fertiliser portfolio, which encompasses the full mine-to-market development process of phosphate fertilisers.

It will add 3 million tonnes of phosphate fertiliser production capacity to Maaden portfolio, thus bringing its total production capacity to more than 9 million tonnes.