Saudi Arabia uncovers 110M tons of ore rich in rare earths, uranium

Energy Minister, Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman

Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman said geological exploration activities at the Jabal Sayid project in Madinah have uncovered estimated resources of 110 million tons of ore containing high concentrations of rare earth elements, particularly heavy rare earth elements, along with promising concentrations of uranium.

The discovery places the project among the world's most significant rare earth mineral resource sites currently under development, he added.

Speaking during the International Atomic Energy Agency's (IAEA) General Conference in Vienna, the minister said cooperation with French company Orano has identified economic potential for recovering uranium from the operations.

The Kingdom is also working on a national program to explore uranium resources and maximize the opportunities to benefit from them through several interconnected practices. The first involves extracting uranium as a byproduct of phosphoric acid, as part of phosphate fertilizer production in northern Saudi Arabia, with the Kingdom being the world’s largest exporter of phosphate fertilizers, according to the minister.

The minister also said Saudi Arabia is moving forward with building a comprehensive national energy mix that is more diversified and sustainable, including the integration of nuclear energy.

Along another track, the Kingdom continues its efforts through the Sedimentary Cover Survey Initiative to explore additional uranium ores from conventional sources.

“Saudi Arabia’s ambition goes beyond producing ores or exporting concentrates to building an integrated economic and industrial value chain for all these minerals,” said the minister, “This begins with exploration and mining and extends through processing, separation, refining, and the production of rare earth element oxides, as well as the recovery of associated uranium and its related technologies, ultimately leading to the production of yellowcake and the development of its associated value chain based on economic feasibility and in accordance with the highest standards of transparency and Saudi Arabia’s international commitments”.

Prince Abdulaziz also affirmed that, in exercising its rights, Saudi Arabia is pursuing a clear approach based on transparency, openness, and international cooperation. “The Kingdom does not seek to develop its peaceful nuclear program in isolation from the international community, nor through activities conducted secretly in hidden locations or facilities concealed deep within mountains. Instead, it is developing its capabilities through trusted international partnerships that build confidence and support the nuclear non-proliferation regime,” he said.

In this regard, the partnership with the US represents an example of this approach. Cooperation between the two countries extends to critical minerals and securing supply chains for the peaceful uses of nuclear energy, culminating in an agreement signed last July concerning the peaceful uses of nuclear energy, he added.