Saudi Arabia announces discovery of rare earth minerals and uranium

Saudi Arabia's Minister of Energy, Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman, declared the discovery of an estimated 114 million tons of ore packed with rare earth minerals and uranium deposits at the Jabal Sayid project in Madinah on Monday. This revelation came during his address at the 70th IAEA General Conference in Vienna.

Prince Salman disclosed that Saudi Arabia's national atomic energy project is actively on the lookout for uranium resources to utilize them economically. He emphasized key projects, such as extracting uranium from phosphoric acid during fertilizer production, in collaboration with France’s Orano. This partnership was formed following a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed during HRH the Crown Prince's visit to France last August.

Prince Salman further explained that these substantial reserves place Jabal Sayid among the world's top sites for rare earth development. The initiative gained even more traction following HRH the Crown Prince's visit to the United States in November 2025. This trip resulted in a critical minerals framework agreement and a partnership between Saudi mining giant Ma'aden and US-based MP Materials. The aim was to process rare earth elements and uranium.

Prince Salman revealed that Saudi Arabia is fervently working towards developing its mineral resources as part of a larger plan to diversify the economy and enhance the Kingdom's standing in global critical-minerals supply chains. He expects the development of rare earth and uranium resources to bolster domestic industrial capabilities, as well as create avenues for international investment and technology partnerships.