Saudi Arabia Announces Discovery of Rare Earth Minerals and Uranium

Vienna, September 14, 2026 : Saudi Minister of Energy Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman announced Monday the discovery of an estimated 110 million tons of ore containing high concentrations of rare earth minerals and promising uranium deposits at the Jabal Sayid project in Madinah.

Kingdom Actively Exploring Uranium Resources

Speaking at the 70th IAEA General Conference in Vienna, the Minister said Saudi Arabia's national atomic energy project is actively exploring uranium resources for economic utilization.

Partnership With Orano on Uranium Extraction

He highlighted key initiatives, including efforts to extract uranium from phosphoric acid produced during fertilizer manufacturing, in partnership with France's Orano, following a memorandum of understanding signed during the Crown Prince's visit to France last August.

Jabal Sayid Among World's Leading Rare Earth Sites

Prince Abdulaziz said the newly identified reserves position Jabal Sayid among the world's most significant rare earth development sites.

Momentum Builds Following US Partnership

The initiative gained further momentum following the Crown Prince's visit to the United States in November 2025, which led to a critical minerals framework agreement and a partnership between Saudi mining company Ma'aden and US-based MP Materials to process rare earth elements and uranium.

Source: QNA