The Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources announced the issuance of 76 mineral exploration licenses in various regions of the Kingdom, in addition to 122 licenses for construction material quarries
since the new mining investment system came into effect.
The Ministry clarified that the total number of mineral exploration licenses reached 551, of which 701 were Category A, 171 were Category B, and 131 were Category C, while the total number of exploration licenses issued since the start of the new mining investment system reached 76, and the number of construction material quarry licenses reached 1,073, of which 122 were new licenses.
She noted that the number of export permits for ore reached 57, amounting to over one million tons and 410,000 kg of mineral ores, and more than 108,000 cubic meters of decorative stones and rocks, noting that the total number of applications processed by the Mining Resources Agency reached 1,511.
For his part, His Excellency the Deputy Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources for Mining Affairs, Engineer Khalid bin Saleh Al-Mudayfer, affirmed that this growth is in line with recent developments in the sector, most notably the approval of the mining investment strategy, the launch of the geological survey project to explore natural resources in various regions of the Kingdom, and the executive regulations for the new Mining Investment System. He explained that the regulations specify six types of mining licenses: Exploration License, Prospecting License, Construction Materials Quarry License, Mining License, Small Mine License, and General Purpose License.
He emphasized that the executive regulations of the Mining Investment Law generally focused on indicators of transparency, sustainability, and community development in areas adjacent to mining complexes and mining licenses, confirming that the Ministry has worked to raise the level of transparency in the mining sector by providing access to information on sites designated for mining, automating procedures for obtaining all types of licenses, and ensuring clarity regarding the financial value of minerals and natural resources through the “Tadmin.”
His Excellency noted that environmental, health, and safety aspects—whether for workers in the sector or for neighboring communities—are of great importance, in accordance with the provisions of the system’s executive regulations, which take into account the sector’s sustainability, and its positive impact on residential areas adjacent to mining projects by creating quality job opportunities for the residents of those areas, or contributing to their development through the social responsibility initiatives undertaken by companies operating in the complexes.
Al-Mudifar added that the inspection tours conducted by the relevant teams ensure that these projects comply with environmental, health, and safety regulations, and provide a safe and sustainable environment in the mining sector, and raising the level of companies“ adherence to the standards and requirements stipulated in the Mining Investment Law and its implementing regulations. He noted that the establishment of a mining services company will contribute to raising the level of compliance and ensuring the sustainability of operations in these projects.
It is worth noting that the implementing regulations of the Mining Investment Law aim to reinforce the system’s governance principles and define mechanisms that promote the values of accountability, efficiency, effectiveness, and responsiveness, The service for accessing mining license records and mining reserve areas is available on the ”Tadamin” electronic platform, which includes all license applications in electronic form, to enable all stakeholders to access information on licenses and mining areas in an easier and more interactive manner.