By:Zawya

Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources has allocated three new sites for mining complexes in the Riyadh and Makkah regions as part of efforts to strengthen the investment environment in the mining sector.

The Ministry said in a Arabic language statement on Monday that two of the allocated sites are located in the Riyadh region with the first site in Afif governorate covering an area of 10.38 square kilometres (sq km), while the second is in in Al-Tairi Mining Complex in Rumah governorate spanning 37.88 sq km. A third site, east of Faydat Al-Musallam in Taif governorate, Makkah region, covers more than 25 sq km.

Jarrah bin Mohammed Al-Jarrah, spokesperson for the Ministry, said the move is intended to enhance governance and transparency in the sector, support investor confidence and promote sustainable development in mining activities. Additionally, the mining complexes are expected to support local economic growth by creating job opportunities for residents, increasing local procurement, and fostering engagement with nearby communities.

The world’s largest oil exporter awarded mining sites on an area of 10,000 sq km in 2024 with a total investments of about 28 billion Saudi riyals ($7.4 billion).