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.



Euro Zone Yields Fall after Iran Raises Prospect of Hormuz Reopening

Euro banknotes (Reuters)
Euro banknotes (Reuters)
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Euro Zone Yields Fall after Iran Raises Prospect of Hormuz Reopening

Euro banknotes (Reuters)
Euro banknotes (Reuters)

Euro zone bond yields fell for a second straight day on Tuesday, hitting their lowest in almost two weeks after Iran raised the prospect of reopening the Strait of Hormuz and Washington hinted it could restart talks with Tehran, pushing oil prices lower.

Germany's 10-year bond yield, the benchmark for the bloc, fell 1 basis point to 3.44% after rising as much as 4 bps earlier in the session. It fell 7 bps on Monday as energy prices retreated.

A senior Iranian official told Reuters that the strait, which carried about a fifth of global energy supplies before the war, could reopen within seven days if the US also lifts its blockade of Iranian ports.

The official added that Iran's delegation to a UN meeting in New York this week has full authority to revive diplomacy over the conflict.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told NBC's "Today" show that Washington was open to speaking with Tehran.

The dip in energy prices helped pull yields lower globally after a surge in recent weeks fuelled by expectations of further interest-rate hikes to combat energy-driven inflation. Traders are pricing in around 35 bps of additional European Central Bank tightening this year, down from 40 bps on Friday.

Germany's two-year bond yield, which is sensitive to interest-rate expectations, fell 1 bp to 3.19%, following a 6-bp drop on Monday.

Rabobank senior rates strategist Lyn Graham-Taylor said lower oil prices following the Iranian comments were weighing on bond yields.

Brent crude futures were last down 1% to $100 a barrel after earlier falling to $97.40, the lowest in two weeks.


Libya's NOC Says Sharara Crude Pipeline Closure Losses at 130,000 bpd

General view of the Sharara oil field in Libya (Reuters)
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Libya's NOC Says Sharara Crude Pipeline Closure Losses at 130,000 bpd

General view of the Sharara oil field in Libya (Reuters)

Libya's National Oil Corporation said on Tuesday that the Sharara-Zawiya crude loading pipeline closure has led to daily losses of about 130,000 barrels per day, Reuters reported.

An armed military group closed valve seven on the Sharara crude pipeline to Zawiya port on Monday, resulting in a significant decline in production at the Sharara oilfield, the National Oil Corporation said in a statement.

 

 

 

 


Sources: Saudi Arabia Restarts East-West Oil Pipeline

FILE PHOTO: A model of an oil pump is seen in front of a Saudi Arabian flag in this illustration taken January 9, 2026. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: A model of an oil pump is seen in front of a Saudi Arabian flag in this illustration taken January 9, 2026. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo
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Sources: Saudi Arabia Restarts East-West Oil Pipeline

FILE PHOTO: A model of an oil pump is seen in front of a Saudi Arabian flag in this illustration taken January 9, 2026. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: A model of an oil pump is seen in front of a Saudi Arabian flag in this illustration taken January 9, 2026. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo

Saudi Arabia has restarted operations at its East-West Pipeline and could resume exports from the Red Sea port of Yanbu later on Tuesday, three sources briefed on the matter said.

Drone attacks forced Saudi Arabia to shut its East-West Pipeline on September 13, halting crude loadings at the kingdom's Yanbu port.

The resumption of supplies on Tuesday helped to drive selling on global oil markets, traders said. Brent crude futures fell by more than $2 a barrel to its lowest since September 8.

Two trading sources said traders were getting ready for Saudi oil loadings by moving tankers to Egypt's Mediterranean Port Said for ship-to-ship transfers and also to Sidi Kerir.