Article
5,300 mineral resources sites in Saudi Arabia worth 5 trillion riyals..Kamal Amer, editor-in-chief writes:
A report issued by the Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources revealed that the mineral wealth in the Kingdom spreads to more than 5,300 website, and its value is estimated at about five trillion riyals, including a number of the most abundant minerals such as: gold Silver, copper, zinc, phosphates, bauxite, limestone, silica sand, feldspar, and ornamental rocks used in building facades such as: granite and other minerals. 
The report indicated that the Kingdom produces many minerals and mineral products that have an important role in developing value chains for metallic minerals, such as iron, aluminum, copper, zinc, and gold. As well as non-metallic mineral products, such as: phosphate fertilizers, cement, glass, and ceramics. The Kingdom’s production of bauxite is about 4.9 million tons annually, which is processed to produce about one million tons of aluminum annually. About 409 thousands of ounces of gold are produced from the number of mines in the Kingdom in the Arabian Shield region Rich in precious minerals and base minerals. And he indicated that the Kingdom produces about 150 thousand Tons annually of copper and zinc concentrates, and about 01.6 million tons of phosphate ore annually, which is processed to produce about 5.80 Millions of tons of phosphate fertilizers annually, and the Kingdom is among the top 5 producers of phosphate fertilizers, and it has also succeeded in developing a number of other mineral industries. The report explained that the main aspirations and objectives set by the comprehensive strategy for the mining and metal industries sector focus on the optimal use of these minerals through the development of industrial value chains that will have an important economic impact during the stages of the intermediate and downstream industries for these minerals and the resulting job opportunities, and transfer development to regions The different kingdom in which these mineral ores are located, which will have a positive impact on the development of local communities in those regions, achieving sustainability in the mining sector and protecting the environment. He stated that the growth opportunities identified by the comprehensive strategy for the mining sector will contribute to providing important investment opportunities; In view of the competitive advantages that the Kingdom enjoys that help it achieve success in the mining sector, the most important of which are: competitive advantages, and the availability of mineral wealth supported by large domestic demand, which qualifies the Kingdom to be one of the most important metal-producing countries in the world by the year 71154. He stressed that the comprehensive strategy for the mining sector aims to increase the production of gold, copper, and basic metals tenfold compared to the current situation, in addition to expanding the phosphate fertilizer industry to make the Kingdom among the three largest producing countries around the world, and among the top ten countries in the world in aluminum production and capacity It also aims to double the production of iron and glass in order to meet the expected growth in demand and achieve self-sufficiency, and to expand into new value chains such as: rare earth elements, tantalum and niobium, which are important elements for many advanced industries such as: hardware industry Modern electronic, smart phone and satellite. The Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources seeks to maximize the value achieved from the mining sector in accordance with the objectives of the Kingdom’s vision 71154, as it began in Implementation of a number of initiatives and programs to achieve these goals, including: the general program of the geological survey, which will cover the mineral-rich Arab Shield area in the west of the Kingdom, with the aim of providing detailed and accurate geological information and maps, and making this information and maps available for those wishing to view it through the geological database portal (NGD) on the website of the Geological Survey, which allows obtaining the equivalent of 80 A year from the National Geological Information Records, where this historical geological data is digitized, which will be fed with up-to-date information that will be obtained through these programs and projects. In terms of the Kingdom’s commitment to the mining sector and ensuring qualitative investments in it, an initiative has been launched to accelerate exploration work, increase spending on exploration and exploration work targeting dozens of mineral deposits in the Kingdom with encouraging economic indicators, and calculate the mineral resources of these reservoirs, through the use of the best detection and prospecting methods. And the implementation of diamond drilling (core), ground and aerial geophysical surveys, and detailed geochemical surveys. 
The report indicated that the Kingdom produces many minerals and mineral products that have an important role in developing value chains for metallic minerals, such as iron, aluminum, copper, zinc, and gold. As well as non-metallic mineral products, such as: phosphate fertilizers, cement, glass, and ceramics. The Kingdom’s production of bauxite is about 4.9 million tons annually, which is processed to produce about one million tons of aluminum annually. About 409 thousands of ounces of gold are produced from the number of mines in the Kingdom in the Arabian Shield region Rich in precious minerals and base minerals. And he indicated that the Kingdom produces about 150 thousand Tons annually of copper and zinc concentrates, and about 01.6 million tons of phosphate ore annually, which is processed to produce about 5.80 Millions of tons of phosphate fertilizers annually, and the Kingdom is among the top 5 producers of phosphate fertilizers, and it has also succeeded in developing a number of other mineral industries. The report explained that the main aspirations and objectives set by the comprehensive strategy for the mining and metal industries sector focus on the optimal use of these minerals through the development of industrial value chains that will have an important economic impact during the stages of the intermediate and downstream industries for these minerals and the resulting job opportunities, and transfer development to regions The different kingdom in which these mineral ores are located, which will have a positive impact on the development of local communities in those regions, achieving sustainability in the mining sector and protecting the environment. He stated that the growth opportunities identified by the comprehensive strategy for the mining sector will contribute to providing important investment opportunities; In view of the competitive advantages that the Kingdom enjoys that help it achieve success in the mining sector, the most important of which are: competitive advantages, and the availability of mineral wealth supported by large domestic demand, which qualifies the Kingdom to be one of the most important metal-producing countries in the world by the year 71154. He stressed that the comprehensive strategy for the mining sector aims to increase the production of gold, copper, and basic metals tenfold compared to the current situation, in addition to expanding the phosphate fertilizer industry to make the Kingdom among the three largest producing countries around the world, and among the top ten countries in the world in aluminum production and capacity It also aims to double the production of iron and glass in order to meet the expected growth in demand and achieve self-sufficiency, and to expand into new value chains such as: rare earth elements, tantalum and niobium, which are important elements for many advanced industries such as: hardware industry Modern electronic, smart phone and satellite. The Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources seeks to maximize the value achieved from the mining sector in accordance with the objectives of the Kingdom’s vision 71154, as it began in Implementation of a number of initiatives and programs to achieve these goals, including: the general program of the geological survey, which will cover the mineral-rich Arab Shield area in the west of the Kingdom, with the aim of providing detailed and accurate geological information and maps, and making this information and maps available for those wishing to view it through the geological database portal (NGD) on the website of the Geological Survey, which allows obtaining the equivalent of 80 A year from the National Geological Information Records, where this historical geological data is digitized, which will be fed with up-to-date information that will be obtained through these programs and projects. In terms of the Kingdom’s commitment to the mining sector and ensuring qualitative investments in it, an initiative has been launched to accelerate exploration work, increase spending on exploration and exploration work targeting dozens of mineral deposits in the Kingdom with encouraging economic indicators, and calculate the mineral resources of these reservoirs, through the use of the best detection and prospecting methods. And the implementation of diamond drilling (core), ground and aerial geophysical surveys, and detailed geochemical surveys.
