The Saudi Arabian Mining Company (Ma’aden) has entered into an agreement with Metso and thyssenkrupp Uhde for the development and licensing of Ma’aden’s Integrated process concept, aiming for greenfield facilities at Ras Al Khair in Saudi Arabia, and the deployment of technology able to capture CO2 and recycle phosphogypsum.

The technology for CO2 capturing comes from the lime produced from the calcination of phosphogypsum using sulphur, leading to a reduction in CO2 emissions across Ma’aden’s phosphate business, making it more sustainable in the long term, it says.

The complex will enable the deployment of an innovative patented concept, which has been officially recognised by the United States Patent and Trademark Office. The patent will allow Ma’aden to use new technology to reduce carbon emissions and reuse phosphogypsum as a useful resource.

Ma’aden’s patented approach is dual purpose, not only contributing to global warming mitigation through sustainable CO2 capturing but also providing a viable solution for recycling phosphogypsum, addressing two of the most pressing environmental challenges facing the phosphate industry – the decarbonisation of polluted CO2 and the effective use of phosphogypsum, a by-product of phosphate production often left in large quantities.

Hasan Ali, Executive Vice President, Ma’aden Phosphate, said: “This pioneering patent, combined with our new CO2 capturing complex, underscores Ma’aden’s commitment to sustainability. We look forward to working with Metso and thyssenkrupp Uhde to develop this important project that will truly change and reduce the carbon footprint of our phosphate business. It puts us at the forefront of innovation, turning what was once leftover material into a valuable resource, while significantly reducing CO2 emissions. It’s a giant leap towards a sustainable future.”

Hannes Storch, Vice President for Metals and Chemicals Processing at Metso, said: “We are excited to see this unique project moving forward. The new concept for the phosphogypsum processing will be a major step forward in the fertiliser industry, contributing to sustainability targets, such as waste recovery and limiting global warming. Metso contributes to the project with our extensive know-how and experience in the field of fluid bed, gas cleaning and sulphuric acid solutions.”

Lucretia Löscher, COO thyssenkrupp Uhde, said: “We are honoured to be chosen from our esteemed customer to provide our technology and expertise. We are providing the innovative process to turn the phosphate industry into a circular economy. This project will be another important milestone for thyssenkrupp Uhde in enabling the green transformation for our customers.”