The Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources, represented by the Mining Control Agency, carried out 892 inspection tours on various mining sites across the Kingdom during the month of June.
It issued 22 penalties against establishments violating the Mining Investment System, including 15 penalties for the exploitation of sand and gravel, 6 penalties for exploiting aggregates, and one penalty for gypsum exploitation.
The ministry's official spokesperson, Jarraj bin Mohammed Al-Jarraj, stated that violators in the Najran region accounted for the largest share of the penalties, with 11 penalties issued, followed by the Asir region with 3 penalties, and the Makkah region with 3 penalties as well.
The Jazan region recorded 3 penalties, while the Eastern Province and Medina each had one penalty.
Al-Jarraj emphasized the ministry's commitment to continue conducting inspection tours to monitor mining activities, ensure the protection of the sector from irregular practices, optimize the use of mineral resources, and protect communities surrounding mining areas. Additionally, the ministry aims to enforce the Mining Investment System to ensure the sector's sustainability.
The Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources seeks to increase the value derived from the Kingdom’s natural mineral resources and enhance the sector’s attractiveness for investment, aiming to make it the third pillar of the national industry in line with the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030. The ministry also aims to contribute to diversifying national income sources and developing non-oil revenues, with the Kingdom’s mineral wealth estimated at around five trillion riyals spread across more than 5,300 locations.
