The Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources issued 55 new mining licenses during April 2023. These included: 34 exploration licenses, 17 building materials quarry licenses, 3 surplus mineral resource licenses, and one mining exploitation and small mine license, according to the report from the National Industrial and Mining Information Center affiliated with the ministry.
The report indicated that the total number of active mining licenses in the sector by the end of April 2023 reached 2,336, with building materials quarries leading at 1,454 licenses, followed by exploration with 634 licenses, small mining and exploitation with 180 licenses, exploration with 36 licenses, and surplus mineral resource licenses with 32 licenses.
The report further stated that Riyadh region accounted for the largest share of the total active mining licenses in the sector with 573 licenses, followed by Makkah region with 384 licenses, the Eastern region with 374 licenses, Medina region with 258 licenses, Asir region with 213 licenses, Tabuk region with 149 licenses, Qassim region with 90 licenses, Jazan region with 80 licenses, Hail region with 68 licenses, Najran region with 55 licenses, Al-Baha region with 39 licenses, Northern Borders region with 27 licenses, and Al-Jouf region with 26 licenses.
The Mining Investment System and its executive regulations have identified 6 types of mining licenses, including: the exploration license, which includes all types of minerals for a period of two years, renewable; the discovery license for all types of minerals for 5 years for minerals of categories (A) and (B), and for category (C) minerals for one year; general-purpose licenses linked to mining or small mine licenses.
The system also specifies exploitation licenses, including: mining licenses for minerals from categories (A) and (B), which do not exceed a period of 30 years and are renewable or extendable; small mine licenses for minerals from categories (A) and (B), with a validity of up to 20 years; building materials quarry licenses for category (C) minerals with a license period of 10 years, renewable; and licenses for surplus mineral resources in project sites or privately owned land.
The Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources aims to protect and enhance the mining sector’s value in line with the goals of Saudi Vision 2030, the National Industrial Development and Logistics Program, to make mining the third pillar of the national industry. The ministry is working to exploit the kingdom’s mineral wealth, which is spread across more than 5,300 sites, estimated at a value of about 5 trillion riyals.
