A Spanish company is planning to build a silicon metal plant with an investment of 150 million U.S. dollars in southwest China's Sichuan Province, a top company official said here Friday.

The plant will turn out 150,000 tons of silicon metal annually, making it the largest in the world, said Juan Miguel Villar Mir, president of the Madrid-based multinational Ferroatlantica, a silicon metal giant.

The company is picking a venue for the new plant among several cities in Sichuan and the final decision will be made in September, he said at a meeting attended by 30 Spanish businesses and 60 Chinese businesses.

Miguel Villar was here among the entourage of Spanish King Juan Carlos I who just ended his six-day state visit to China Friday afternoon.

Southwestern Chinese provinces, such as Sichuan, Yunnan and Guizhou, are major manufacturing areas of silicon metal in the country.

There are 11 Spanish enterprises in Sichuan Province, with a total contract investment of 19 million U.S. dollars, according to the province's industry and commerce authorities.