{
  "id": 7396548,
  "title": "Saudi Arabia Discovers 110 Million Tonnes of Uranium-Bearing Ore",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/14/saudi-arabia-discovers-110-million-tonnes-of-uranium-bearing-ore",
  "topic": "finance",
  "section": "Finance & Markets",
  "published": "2026-09-14T20:00:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "OilPrice",
    "slug": "oilprice",
    "url": "https://oilprice.com/Latest-Energy-News/World-News/Saudi-Arabia-Discovers-110-Million-Tonnes-of-Uranium-Bearing-Ore.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Saudi Arabia has discovered 110 million tonnes of uranium-bearing raw material in the Medina region, potentially signaling a major development for the nation's nascent nuclear energy sector. Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman revealed the discovery at an IAEA conference in Vienna on Monday. Geological studies have already uncovered high levels of uranium in the area, and Saudi Arabia is also exploring the possibility of recovering uranium as a byproduct of its massive phosphate industry. However, it's important to note that the 110 million tonnes of uranium-bearing material does not directly equate to 110 million tonnes of actual uranium. The recoverable uranium will largely depend on factors such as ore grade, geology, and the economics of extraction. The IAEA has likewise cautioned that the mere identification of uranium occurrences does not automatically translate into economically viable resources. This discovery becomes even more significant given Saudi Arabia's ongoing push to integrate nuclear power into its energy portfolio. In July, Saudi Arabia and the United States signed a major civil nuclear cooperation agreement, paving the way for American firms to provide nuclear technology and equipment to the country. The U.S. Department of Energy emphasized that this agreement sets the stage for a long-term, multibillion-dollar nuclear partnership between the two nations. Currently, Saudi Arabia has no domestic uranium production or enrichment industry, according to the OECD Nuclear Energy Agency and the IAEA. Prince Abdulaziz emphasized that Saudi Arabia's nuclear aspirations are strictly peaceful and will be pursued transparently in collaboration with the IAEA. This announcement also underscores Saudi Arabia's broader strategy to transform its mineral resources into a key driver of its economy. As the world's second-largest exporter of phosphate fertilizers, Saudi Arabia is increasingly focusing on critical minerals and rare earths. Developing domestic uranium resources could potentially become another piece of this strategy, leveraging Saudi minerals to power the nation's future nuclear reactors.",
  "summary": "Saudi Arabia has discovered 110 million tonnes of uranium-bearing raw material in the Medina region, a potentially significant find as the Kingdom accelerates plans to develop a domestic nuclear energy industry. Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman announced the discovery on Monday at the International Atomic Energy Agency’s General Conference in Vienna, according to Saudi state…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}