0 0 8 , ▁and ▁to ▁produce ▁the ▁first ▁D RI ▁pel lets ▁by ▁the ▁second ▁half ▁of ▁ 2 0 1 0 . ▁the ▁life ▁of ▁the ▁mine ▁was ▁project ed ▁to ▁be ▁ 3 0 ▁years . ▁ ▁During ▁the ▁second ▁quarter ▁of ▁ 2 0 0 6 , ▁Sa udi ▁Basic ▁indust ries ▁Cor p . ▁through ▁its ▁wh olly ▁owned ▁subs idi ary ▁Sa udi ▁iron ▁and ▁Ste el ▁Company ▁( H ade ed ), ▁and ▁Q atar ▁Ste el ▁Company ▁( Q a S CO ) ▁inv ested ▁about ▁$ 2 2 ▁million ▁in ▁Si L ▁as ▁part ▁of ▁a ▁new ▁strateg ic ▁iron ▁ore ▁partners hip ▁under ▁which ▁H ade ed ▁and ▁Q a S CO ▁were ▁to ▁secure ▁a ▁source ▁of ▁high - grade ▁dri ▁pel lets ▁as ▁feed ▁for ▁their ▁respective ▁steel ▁plants . ▁in ▁addition ▁to ▁working ▁on ▁the ▁gu el b ▁el ▁a ou j ▁project , ▁Si L ▁completed ▁a ▁reconna issance ▁diam ond - dr illing ▁program ▁for ▁the ▁t inte k rate ▁Bou ▁der ga ▁depos its , ▁which ▁are ▁located ▁in ▁the ▁southern ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁area ▁that ▁makes ▁up ▁gu el b ▁el ▁a ou j . ▁the ▁en vision ed ▁mine ▁will ▁make ▁use ▁of ▁S ni M ’ s ▁existing ▁iron ▁ore ▁railway ▁and ▁port ▁infrastr ucture . ▁ ▁Pet role um ▁Maur it ania ▁began ▁producing ▁its ▁first ▁pet role um ▁from ▁the ▁Ch ingu etti ▁oil field ▁in ▁February ▁ 2 0 0 6