JEDDAH: Saudi Arabia has opened 11 mining sites at the Eastern Province’s Al-Summan Crushers Complex for competitive bidding, boosting investment, governance, and local community development.
The sites are designated for the extraction of aggregates and crusher materials, covering 9 sq. km, according to a statement by the Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources.
The initiative forms part of the Kingdom’s drive to establish mining as the third pillar of its industrial economy, alongside oil and petrochemicals, leveraging mineral wealth now estimated at SR9.37 trillion ($2.5 trillion), a 90 percent increase from 2016 estimates of SR5 trillion.
The increase follows comprehensive surveys of the Arabian Shield, which revealed new deposits beyond traditional mineralized belts.
Jarrah bin Mohammed Al-Jarrah, the ministry’s official spokesperson, said applications for the mining sites will be accepted from Feb. 15 to March 5, via the Ta’adeen digital platform, which handles registration, qualification, bidding and the announcement of winning companies.
