COPPER: Jabal Sayid mine begins production

SAUDI ARABIA – Initial production of copper has begun at the Jabal Sayid project 120 km southeast of Medina. Commercial production is expected in the first quarter of this year and will be 45,000 to 60,000 tonnes of copper annually. The project is operated by Maaden Barrick Copper, an equal joint venture of Toronto-based Barrick Gold and Saudi Arabian Mining (Ma’aden). Barrick acquired the property when it paid $7.3 billion for Equinox Minerals in 2011. Ma’aden agreed to pay $210 million for a 50% interest in Jabal Sayid in 2014. A small amount of additional information is available at Barrick.com.