Saudi Arabia studies over 2,000 mineral exploration license applications: SGS

Abdullah Al-Shamrani CEO of Saudi Geological Survey (SGS)

The Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources is currently processing over 2,000 local and international license applications, including around 2,000 for exploration and approximately 139 for mining, Abdullah Al-Shamrani, CEO of Saudi Geological Survey (SGS).

Additionally, he said that more than 2,300 mining licenses have been issued, reflecting significant growth in the sector, Asharq Al-Awsat reported.

Al-Shamrani also highlighted the rapid expansion of both local and foreign investment in mining over recent years.

He also added that Saudi Arabia’s gold reserves exceed 100 million ounces, while over 34 million tons of zinc and 17 million tons of copper have been discovered. Exploration activities are ongoing across various locations in the Kingdom.

The establishment of a geological museums in Saudi Arabia is on the table through collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism, he added.