Riyadh: The Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources has awarded exploration licenses to local and international companies that won the mining competitions for the Kingdom’s first mineralized belts at the Jabal Sayid and Al Hajar sites, covering a combined area of 4,788 square kilometers. These sites are rich in copper, gold, silver, lead, and zinc. The licenses were granted through a fully transparent competitive process based on clear technical and financial criteria.

According to Saudi Press Agency, Vice Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources for Mining Affairs Khalid Al-Mudaifer stated that this milestone marks a new phase in the growing maturity of Saudi Arabia’s mining sector under Vision 2030. He highlighted the Kingdom’s aim to transition from exploration activities to the development of integrated value chains that connect upstream projects with intermediate and downstream industries within the country.

Saudi Arabia is actively promoting its mining sector on a global scale and will host the fifth Future Minerals Forum in Riyadh from January 13 to 15, 2026. The event is expected to attract ministers and CEOs from leading global mining companies, reinforcing the conference’s status as a premier international platform for the mining industry.