Najran Gov. Prince Mishaal bin Abdullah yesterday inaugurated the Great Mining Factories in Thar that were established at a total cost of SR 1.2 billion. The project, which was completed in the third quarter of 2011, has started production of copper, zinc, gold and silver. Talal Al-Shaer, chairman of Great Mining Factories Company, said the mine has a reserve of 4.9 million tons of minerals with a copper content of 21.1 percent and zinc 23.4 percent. The company has spent SR 180 million on mineral discoveries in the area, he added. From arabnews