Ma’aden Resorts to International Expertise to Exploit Saudi Arabia’s Largest Discovered Resources

Saudi Arabia is implementing mining projects to exploit untapped wealth. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Saudi Arabia is implementing mining projects to exploit untapped wealth. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Ma’aden Resorts to International Expertise to Exploit Saudi Arabia’s Largest Discovered Resources

Saudi Arabia is implementing mining projects to exploit untapped wealth. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Saudi Arabia is implementing mining projects to exploit untapped wealth. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

The Saudi Arabian Mining Company (Ma’aden) is seeking to benefit from its relationships with its global partners, and to rely on the latest technologies, in order to raise the maximum capabilities and potential to work on the unexplored mineral resources project in Saudi Arabia, which is valued at $2.5 trillion, through an appropriate set of investments, sources have revealed.

In January, the Kingdom announced that it had raised its estimates of the value of untapped mineral resources, including phosphate, gold, minerals, and rare earths, to SAR9.4 trillion ($2.5 trillion), an increase from the previous estimation of SAR4.9 trillion ($1.3 trillion).

Ma’aden operates 17 mines and sites, employing more than 68,000 workers, and exports its products to more than 30 countries. It is also implementing a plan to increase the volume of its business within its 2040 strategy, in phosphate, aluminum, gold, and copper, in addition to exploring new minerals.

Mining has emerged as a vital sector for the Saudi economy, as it played a pivotal role in promoting growth and advancing development under Vision 2030. In this context, Ma’aden is working to consolidate the sector's position as the third pillar of the economy in the Kingdom.

The company is an important player in supporting the achievement of the goals of the country’s strategic roadmap, and has implemented one of the largest exploration programs in the world, investing in new technologies through its partnership with Barrick Gold and Ivanhoe Electric, to help unleash the enormous potential of mineral wealth in Saudi Arabia.

Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources Bandar Al-Khorayef recently announced the discovery of new mining resources with an estimated value of $2.5 trillion. This came during the third edition of the International Mining Conference, which was held in Riyadh, under the patronage of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz.

The minister pointed to new discoveries of rare earth elements and transition metals, in addition to huge increases in phosphate ore and other minerals, such as copper, zinc, gold, and others.

The Ma’aden Company recently revealed the discovery of significant gold resource potential extending along a 100km strike from the existing Mansourah Massarah gold mine. This is the first find from the company’s extensive exploration program, launched in 2022, aimed at building Ma’aden’s production pipeline.



Saudi Investment Minister: Local Content is an Important Enabler for Economic Competitiveness

Saudi Minister of Investment Khalid Al-Falih speaks at the Local Content Forum 2024 held in Riyadh. SPA
Saudi Minister of Investment Khalid Al-Falih speaks at the Local Content Forum 2024 held in Riyadh. SPA
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Saudi Investment Minister: Local Content is an Important Enabler for Economic Competitiveness

Saudi Minister of Investment Khalid Al-Falih speaks at the Local Content Forum 2024 held in Riyadh. SPA
Saudi Minister of Investment Khalid Al-Falih speaks at the Local Content Forum 2024 held in Riyadh. SPA

Saudi Minister of Investment Khalid Al-Falih stressed that local content is an important enabler for transforming the economy from a rentier system to a prosperous one.

The investment minister added that local content is one of the main pillars of the Kingdom's Vision 2030, viewing it as fuel for the competitiveness of the economy and companies in relevant sectors, including industry, agriculture, energy, municipalities, and tourism.

This came during his participation, along with several other ministers, in a dialogue session entitled "Future Trends for Local Content in Light of the Kingdom's Vision 2030," held on Wednesday in Riyadh as part of the Local Content Forum 2024.

He noted that the vision's goals include developing and diversifying the economy and increasing quality opportunities to ensure sustainability and competitiveness both locally and internationally. He reviewed several successful global experiences in local content that have contributed to increasing the percentage of local content across various sectors and achieving global leadership.

Al-Falih also highlighted the role of the initiatives and programs under the National Investment Strategy, such as special economic zones, regional headquarters, and the Shareek Program, in enabling and motivating investors to invest in the Saudi market and building an attractive investment environment that enhances global quality investments, which will lead to strengthening the national economy and creating more job opportunities.

He mentioned that 95 deals, with an investment value exceeding SAR100 billion, are currently under negotiation through the "GSCRI" initiative.