Industry Ministry says new mining licenses up 144% in H1 2025

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The Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources announced that new mining exploitation licenses rose 144% during the first half of 2025, compared to the same period a year earlier.

A total of 22 mining and small mine exploitation licenses were issued in the first six months of 2025, compared to nine during the first half of 2024.

This increase reflects the direct impact of improving the mining investment environment and increasing its attractiveness. It also aligns with the rapid development and growth witnessed by the Saudi mining sector, which aims to maximize its benefits in the Kingdom's economic diversification process, the ministry said in a statement on Thursday.

The number of companies investing in the new mining exploitation licenses issued during the first half of this year reached 23, including 16 companies obtaining mining licenses for the first time. The total investment volume in these licenses exceeds SAR 134 million, covering an area of 47 square kilometers, said the ministry.

The production volume of mining projects under the new licenses is estimated at 7.86 million tons annually, of various mineral ores, including salt, clay, silica sand, low-grade iron, feldspar, and gypsum, it added.

Meanwhile, the number of mining and small-scale mining licenses effective in the Kingdom has reached 239, including 32 Category A licenses for mineral ores including gold, copper, phosphate, and bauxite, and 207 Category B licenses for various mineral ores, including silica sand, gypsum, limestone, salt, and clay.