Ma'aden: industry on the ground
The Wa'ad Al-Shamal phosphate complex in northern Saudi Arabia covers mining, beneficiation, ammonia and phosphoric acid production, and finished diammonium phosphate fertiliser for export.
Ma'aden · IECEx
IECEx Smartphone for Ma'aden
Ma'aden grew from a single-mine gold producer established in 1997 into a diversified mining and processing group listed on Tadawul, with the Public Investment Fund as its main shareholder. Its aluminium business mines bauxite at Al Ba'itha and smelts and rolls aluminium at Ras Al Khair, producing over 1 million tonnes a year; it also produces phosphate fertiliser, gold and base metals. If you are specifying an IECEx smartphone for Ma'aden, this page covers the markings, the approvals and the current certification status of the IS-04Z1.
Pre-launch · certification in progress · Launching Q4 2026
Marking targetEx ib IIC T4Intrinsic safety, Zone 1 / 21 design target · certification in progress
AvailabilityQ4 2026via authorised distributors
Search topicIECEx
DeviceSmartphone
RouteSpecification
WhereMa'aden
Short answer. The SAMS IS-04Z1 is the intrinsically safe smartphone covered here for Ma'aden: pre-launch, designed for Zone 1 and Zone 21 (marking target Ex ib IIC T4), with certification in progress and no certificate issued.
For the record, no certificate exists for the IS-04Z1 today. The programme is under way ahead of a Q4 2026 launch. An operator's own vendor approval is a separate step. Certification status. Place facts reviewed October 2026.
At a glance · IECEx
Checklist: IECEx smartphone for Ma'aden
| Check | What to look for | IS-04Z1 today |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate of conformity | Number checkable on the IECEx online register | In progress; not issued |
| Standards edition | The IEC 60079 edition the certificate cites | Stated on the certificate when issued |
| Schedule of conditions | Limits of use, batteries and accessories | Published with the certificate |
| Where it applies | Ma'aden: Fuel and gas handling, Ammonia and phosphate fertiliser plants, Acid plants | Classified by the site operator |
Product · Saudi Arabia
The product behind this search: the SAMS IS-04Z1.
SAMS IS-04Z1
An intrinsically safe Android smartphone designed for Zone 1 and Zone 21 hazardous areas in Saudi Arabia. It is pre-launch: IECEx, ATEX and NEC 500 certification is in progress ahead of the Q4 2026 launch.
- IP68 sealed
- 4,000 mAh battery
- 50 MP camera
- Android 16
- Zone 1 / Zone 21 design target
The organisation · Ma'aden
Working with Saudi Arabian Mining Company (Ma'aden): sites and classified areas
The main sites and the hazardous-area types a portable device is likely to meet at this organisation.
Sites and areas
- Ras Al-Khair
- Wa'ad Al Shamal
- Ba'itha bauxite mine
Classified areas
- Fuel and gas handling
- Ammonia and phosphate fertiliser plants
- Acid plants
- Alumina refinery and aluminium smelter
Supplier approval · Ma'aden
How suppliers reach Ma'aden
Ma'aden runs its own supplier portal (maaden.com/supplier-portal) where new suppliers create a supplier profile, and contractor manpower is managed through a separate Fieldglass link. Confirm current requirements with its procurement and HSE teams. The Ex certificate and an organisation's own vendor or engineering approval are two separate timelines; SAMS is working towards both and holds neither today.
Field notes · Ma'aden
More about Ma'aden that matters for portable equipment
Ma'aden: industry on the ground
The aluminium chain runs from bauxite mining at Al-Ba'itha through the alumina refinery to the smelter and casthouse at Ras Al-Khair, using the Ma'aden Bauxite and Alumina and Ma'aden Aluminium companies.
Ma'aden: industry on the ground
Industrial minerals such as kaolin, low-grade bauxite and magnesia are also produced for the domestic construction and manufacturing markets.
Ma'aden: who works there
The aluminium joint venture was set up in 2009 with Alcoa; in 2025 Alcoa sold its 25.1 per cent interest to Ma'aden, ending the joint venture, so Ma'aden now owns those companies.
The term · IECEx
What “IECEx” means for a smartphone
IECEx is the international scheme for certifying equipment used in explosive atmospheres. A certificate of conformity is issued by an accredited certification body against a specific edition of the IEC 60079 standards and carries a schedule of conditions of safe use. It is not a legal requirement in most countries on its own, but many national schemes accept it as the technical basis.
The IECEx certificate for the IS-04Z1 is in progress and has not been issued. The marking target is Ex ib IIC T4, the intrinsic safety concept for Zone 1 gas with the hardest gas group (IIC) and a 135 °C temperature class.
In Ma'aden. With processing complexes such as Ras Al-Khair and Wa'ad Al Shamal, Ma'aden works with international EPCs and process licensors, many of whom use IECEx documents. A reviewer should read the certificate of conformity together with its schedule of conditions. The IS-04Z1 is designed for IECEx and certification is in progress.
The route · specification
Specifying an IECEx smartphone for Ma'aden
A short checklist for anyone writing or reviewing the specification, with the IS-04Z1 status against each point.
Check on the paper
- Marking
- Equipment group, category, protection concept, gas group and temperature class, matched to the area drawing.
- Certificate and schedule
- A certificate number, issuing body and the schedule of conditions, not a brochure claim.
- Standards edition
- The IEC 60079 or national standard edition the certificate was issued against.
Check for the IS-04Z1
- Marking target
- II 2 G Ex ib IIC T4: a target, not yet a certificate.
- Certificate status
- IECEx, ATEX, UKEX and NEC 500 in progress; none issued.
- Operator approval
- Separate from the certificate and handled with the site operator.
Questions · Ma'aden
Frequently asked questions
Can Ma'aden buy the IS-04Z1 today?
Not yet. The IS-04Z1 is pre-launch and its certification is still in progress ahead of a Q4 2026 launch. No unit goes into a classified area before the certificate covering it exists. The datasheet, the certification schedule and safe-area evaluation units are available now.
What does an IECEx smartphone for Ma'aden cost?
No price is published. While certification is in progress there is no list price and no committed lead time, and a supplier quoting a firm figure for an uncertified Ex handset is promising something it cannot stand behind. Indicative pre-launch pricing is issued in writing against a stated quantity and site.
Does the IS-04Z1 hold an IECEx certificate?
No. The IECEx certificate is in progress and has not been issued. SAMS will publish the number when it exists.
How does Ma'aden approve suppliers?
Ma'aden runs its own supplier portal (maaden.com/supplier-portal) where new suppliers create a supplier profile, and contractor manpower is managed through a separate Fieldglass link. Confirm current requirements with its procurement and HSE teams.
Is intrinsically safe the same as explosion proof?
Not exactly. Explosion proof is a broad everyday term; intrinsic safety is one protection concept, which limits energy so ignition cannot occur. Flameproof (Ex d) is a different concept that contains an explosion. The IS-04Z1 is intrinsically safe by design.
What hazardous areas does a Ma'aden site usually contain?
Fertiliser and aluminium complexes typically include ammonia and acid plants, fuel and gas handling, coal or fuel-fired power units, and fine process dust areas, while mines add diesel storage and blasting-related zones. Ma'aden classifies each facility, so request the area drawing, gas or dust group and temperature class.
Who sets equipment rules at Ma'aden sites?
Ma'aden and its operating subsidiaries set site HSE and electrical rules, and projects are often run through contractors who apply them. Confirm with the relevant Ma'aden business unit's procurement and HSE teams which certificates, supplier registration and permits are needed before you ship equipment.
Are all Ma'aden sites classified hazardous areas?
No. Hazardous classification is limited to the parts of a site where flammable gas, vapour or dust can be present, such as ammonia, acid and fuel and gas handling areas. Ma'aden's engineers decide which areas are classified, so confirm with the site operator. The IS-04Z1 has no certificate yet.
Related guides
Keep exploring
More on Ma'aden, and on other places in Saudi Arabia.
Explosion-Proof Mobile Phone for Ma'adenSame place, different guide
Intrinsically Safe Mobile Phone Supplier for Ma'adenSame place, different guide
ATEX and IECEx Mobile Phone for Ma'adenSame place, different guide
IECEx Mobile Phone Supplier for Ma'adenSame place, different guide
ATEX and IECEx Mobile Phone Supplier for SABICElsewhere in Saudi Arabia
ATEX and IECEx Mobile Phone Supplier for Saudi AramcoElsewhere in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia market guideCertification route and regulators
All guides for Saudi ArabiaEvery route we cover
Certification statusWhat is in progress
Enquiry · Ma'aden
Ask about the IS-04Z1 for Ma'aden, Saudi Arabia
Share the site details and quantity. You will get the datasheet and the certification schedule back by email; pricing is indicative only until launch.
Enquiry · Ma'aden
Launching Q4 2026
Planning for Ma'aden?
Send the zone and gas group of your site and we will reply with the datasheet and schedule.