Saudi mining restructuring reaches ‘advanced’ stage, says Al-Falih

Saudi Arabia’s restructuring of the mining sector has reached an advanced stage, the Saudi Energy Minister Khalid Al-Falih told Al-Eqtisadiah newspaper, on the sidelines of launching the new identity and strategy of MODON.

“The Saudi mining system is being reviewed by the competent authorities,” said Al-Falih.

Saudi Arabia also seeks to revamp the steel segment, diversify its products to be more competitive, he noted.

The Saudi mining system is aimed at integrating segments of both conventional as well as renewable energy, including the existing metals; aluminum, copper, gold and phosphate and the to-be-discovered minerals.

The objective behind developing the mining sector is to create a strong competitive base, adding value, increase exports, generate jobs for Saudi citizens and provide investment opportunities for leading firms such as Maaden, SABIC, and most importantly small and medium enterprises (SMEs), Al-Falih added.

“The new strategy led to promising discoveries”, stated Al Falih, adding that two copper routes are in the final stages for approval now, one on the east coast and the other on the west coast.

The ministry’s strategy aims to restructure the mining sector and raise its contribution to the gross domestic product (GDP) to $64 billion from $17 billion, Argaam previously reported. 

Saudi Arabia has competitive advantages to be one of the world’s leading mining countries, as it has $1.3 trillion worth of mineral resources.