Saudi Arabia issues 61 mining licenses worth SAR 44B in 2025

Jarrah bin Aljarrah, official spokesperson for the Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources, stated that the number of mining and small mine exploitation licenses issued in 2025 reached 61, compared to 19 licenses in the previous year, a growth of 220%.

Total investments in the new licensed projects exceed SAR 44 billion, covering the extraction of key mineral resources including gold and phosphate. Meanwhile, the total number of active mining exploitation licenses in the Kingdom reached 275 by the end of 2025, covering an area of 2,160 square kilometers, according to a ministerial statement.

Aljarrah also affirmed that the ministry will continue its efforts to enable mining investments and facilitate the investor journey for both local and international investors, in support of developing the mining sector, maximizing its returns, and achieving the goals of Vision 2030 to position the mining as the third pillar of national industry and a key driver of economic diversification.

Saudi Arabia’s mining sector made significant progress in the 2024 Annual Survey of Mining Companies issued by the Fraser Institute, rising in the Investment Attractiveness Index from 114th place in 2013 to 23rd globally.