Saudi Industry, Mineral Resources Min Announces 6 Winners in 5th Mining Competition
The Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources announced the winners of the fifth round of mining competitions. They will receive prospecting licenses for six sites containing base metals and precious metals like gold, silver, zinc, and copper in various regions of the Kingdom.
Winners, Licenses
The official spokesman for the Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources, Jarrah bin Muhammad Al-Jarrah, announced the results of the fifth round. Discovery Arabia Mining Company won the exploration license for the “Al-Halahla” site. Great Factories Mining Company (AMAC) won licenses for the “Jabal Qarn” and “Al-Hijra” sites. The Al-Hijra Company coalition, including Iqlid Group and Andotan Mining Company, won a license for the “Hijab Reservoir” site. Saudi Arabian Mining Company (Ma’aden) won a license for the “Al-Namas” site. Royal Roads Arabia Company won a license for the “Water” site.
This competition is the largest in the Kingdom, as the number of offers received by the Ministry reached 30 offers from 18 local and international companies. Moreover, they were evaluated according to criteria that focused on aspects of technical expertise and social and environmental commitments. This round covered 6 sites, with a total area of 1000 square kilometers.
Financial Commitments, Community Development
Al-Jarrah confirmed that the amount of spending on exploration provided by the winning companies in the fifth round competitions exceeds 136 million riyals, in addition to 15 million riyals. The companies have committed to spending on developing the communities adjacent to the mining sites. They also create job opportunities for the nation’s people in the less developed areas.
The winning companies pledged to implement community initiatives and artistic works at the sites. Discovery Arabia Mining Company. It won the Al-Halahla site in Najran, committed to spending over 4.9 million riyals on exploration in the first two years. This includes digging 2,000 meters and excavating 20,000 meters over the following three years. They also pledged 1.87 million riyals for social development, purchasing from the local market, and allocating 65% of jobs at the site to local communities. The Al-Halahla site covers over 34 square kilometers and contains copper, zinc, and gold.
Environmental, Social Criteria
AMAC committed over 46 million riyals for artistic works at the “Jabal Qarn” site in Najran, which involves excavating about 15,500 meters. They also allocated 3.5 million riyals for community initiatives, including 80% local purchasing. Additionally, 20% of direct and indirect jobs at the 46 square kilometer site will go to local community members. The site has deposits of copper, gold, and lead. Furthermore, AMAC allocated over 46 million riyals for exploration at the “Al-Hijra” site in Asir, involving the excavation of approximately 43,000 meters.
An amount of 8.5 million riyals was allocated for community initiatives. Of this, 80% is for purchases from the local market, and about 45% of direct and indirect jobs are for people from nearby communities. Additionally, the site, covering over 274 square kilometers, includes deposits of gold, copper, and zinc.
Meanwhile, the alliance of “Iqlid Group Company and Andotan Company,” which won an exploration license at the Hijab Reservoir site in Riyadh, has committed over 6.3 million riyals for exploration, including drilling 10,000 square meters. Additionally, they will spend 200,000 riyals on community initiatives, with 90% of purchases from the local market.
Al-Namas site in Asir
At the “Al-Namas” site in the Asir region, covering over 228 square kilometers with copper, silver, and gold deposits, Ma’aden has allocated around 17.9 million riyals for exploration. This included 28,500 meters of drilling, and 1.35 million riyals for drainage. Moreover, they are dedicating 10 to 15% of purchases to the local market and about 25% of jobs to the local community.
The Royal Roads Arabia Company, which won the “Water” site in Makkah, will allocate 14.6 million riyals for exploration, including drilling about 11,600 meters. They also committed to 25% local purchasing and to filling about 50% of direct and indirect jobs with locals. The site, covering over 228 square kilometers, includes copper, silver, and gold deposits.
Future Rounds, Strategic Objectives
The Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources will launch the sixth round of detection license competitions in the third quarter of this year, issuing 9 new licenses. This also aims to encourage investments and enable small and medium enterprises to participate in the sector’s development. Interested investors are urged to review the nine sites available for competition and access their geological data and reports.
Mining competitions come within the efforts of the Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources aimed at achieving the objectives of the comprehensive strategy for the mining sector, in line with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030. Furthermore, it aims to make the mining sector the third pillar of the national industry in the Kingdom.
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