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Saudi Arabia has launched a mining infrastructure enablement initiative and a treated-water transmission project at the Jabal Sayid mining belt to strengthen the competitiveness of the Kingdom’s mining sector, Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources said.
The announcement was made on the sidelines of the Future Minerals Forum in Riyadh.
The mining infrastructure programme, developed in partnership with the Saudi Authority for Industrial Cities and Technology Zones (MODON), aims to enhance the competitiveness of mining projects by enabling infrastructure at later development stages; accelerate investment decisions by reducing infrastructure-related risks and deliver social benefits to communities surrounding mining projects.
Priority will be given to projects aligned with national mining objectives, including the development of strategic minerals and contributions to economic growth. Projects applying for mining licences (Categories A, B and C) will be classified based on infrastructure readiness—such as access to power and water—and supported through streamlined access procedures to facilitate investment decisions.
Treated water supply project
As part of the initiative, the ministry has launched a treated-water supply project in the Jabal Sayid mining area, located in Al-Mahd governorate in Madinah region, in cooperation with the General Organisation for Irrigation.
The project will deliver more than 15,000 cubic metres per day (m3/day) of treated water via a pipeline network exceeding 75 kilometres, supporting up to five potential mining sites and reducing reliance on water tanker transport.
The Jabal Sayid belt hosts copper and gold deposits and is estimated to contain mineral resources valued at around 192 billion Saudi riyals ($51.3 billion), making it one of the Kingdom’s most significant mining regions.
The ministry said the water infrastructure project is expected to cut water supply costs by up to 60 percent and displace around 11 million barrels of oil equivalent by eliminating tanker transport, and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by about 4 million tonnes while conserving groundwater and surface water resources.
The Ministry said the initiative underscores its commitment to strengthening mining infrastructure readiness to support the transition to a fully integrated mine-to-market mining ecosystem.
(Writing by Majda Muhsen; Editing by Anoop Menon)
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