Production halted partly at the smelter at Ma'aden-Alcoa Joint Venture

On 16 October, Alcoa announced that the smelter at the Ma'aden-Alcoa joint venture, which remains in initial start-up phase, has halted production on one of two potlines.

The temporary shutdown was undertaken after a period of pot instability. The joint venture is actively working to restore the potline, and it is expected to be completed and back online between the first and second quarter of 2014.

The ramp-up of the second potline was ongoing and will now be accelerated.

There is not expected to be any impact to Alcoa's customers.

There is no impact to any other part of the joint venture project, including the mine, refinery and rolling mill, which all remain on schedule.

Alcoa is the world's leading producer of primary and fabricated aluminum, as well as the world's largest miner of bauxite and refiner of alumina.

In its initial phases, Ma'aden Alcoa joint venture will develop a fully integrated industrial complex which will become the world's preeminent and lowest-cost producer of primary aluminum, alumina and aluminum products, with access to the growing markets of the Middle East and beyond. The complex comprises:

-- A bauxite mine with an initial capacity of 4,000,000 metric tons per year

-- An alumina refinery with an initial capacity of 1,800,000 metric tons per year

-- An aluminum smelter with an initial capacity of 740,000 metric tons per year

-- A rolling mill with initial capacity of 380,000 metric tonnes per year.

It will be the first in the Middle East capable of producing food grade can sheet, as well as sheet for automotive, building and construction applications. Upon completion, the mill will be one of the most technically-advanced mills in the world.