Saudi Arabia has announced the discovery of an estimated 110 million tonnes of ore containing concentrations of uranium and rare earth minerals in the Medina region, in a development that could add significant mineral resources to the kingdom's expanding nuclear and mining ambitions.
The announcement was made by Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman during the 70th General Conference of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Vienna on Monday.
The minister said geological exploration at the Jabal Sayid project in Medina had identified estimated resources of around 110 million tonnes of ore containing high concentrations of rare earth elements, particularly heavy rare earths, alongside promising concentrations of uranium.
The discovery is in the Medina region, not Mecca.
Medina and Mecca are both among Islam's holiest cities, but they are geographically distinct. The reported mineral discovery is associated with the Jabal Sayid area in the wider Medina region.
The distinction is significant because some initial headlines and social media posts referred to the discovery as being in Mecca, while the details provided by Saudi officials and subsequent reporting place it in Medina.
The reported 110 million tonnes refers to ore, rather than 110 million tonnes of pure uranium.
The Saudi energy minister's announcement described the material as ore containing concentrations of uranium alongside rare earth elements. However, the announcement did not specify the grade or concentration of uranium in the ore, meaning the amount of recoverable uranium cannot be determined from the 110-million-tonne figure alone.
Reuters similarly reported the discovery as 110 million tonnes of raw materials containing uranium concentrations in the Medina region.
That distinction is important: a large quantity of uranium-bearing ore does not mean the same quantity of uranium can be extracted from it.
The discovery is part of geological exploration around Jabal Sayid, an area already known for its mineral resources.
According to the Saudi announcement, the newly identified resources contain particularly high concentrations of heavy rare earth elements, in addition to promising uranium concentrations.
The combination of uranium and rare earth resources could potentially make the region strategically important as countries seek greater access to minerals used in advanced technologies and energy systems. The Saudi government has been pursuing broader mineral exploration as part of its efforts to diversify the economy beyond oil.
The discovery comes as Saudi Arabia continues to develop plans for a domestic nuclear-energy programme.
The kingdom's National Atomic Energy Project includes plans for large nuclear power plants, small modular reactors, a nuclear fuel cycle and a regulatory framework for nuclear activities. Saudi Arabia says nuclear energy is intended to become part of its future energy mix and help reduce reliance on hydrocarbons for domestic energy consumption.
The Saudi Energy Ministry says uranium is an important component of the country's plans for the peaceful use of nuclear energy and that domestic uranium resources could eventually support nuclear fuel production and the international uranium market.
Prince Abdulaziz also said at the IAEA conference that Saudi Arabia is working on a national programme to explore uranium and intends to invest in its broader energy and mineral resources.
The announcement also comes less than two months after Saudi Arabia and the United States signed a major civilian nuclear cooperation agreement.
In July, US Energy Secretary Chris Wright and Prince Abdulaziz signed what is known as a 123 Agreement, alongside a bilateral safeguards agreement. The US Department of Energy said the agreements establish the framework for long-term cooperation on Saudi Arabia's peaceful nuclear-energy programme, while also emphasising nuclear safety, security and non-proliferation.
The agreement provides a legal framework for US companies to participate in Saudi Arabia's nuclear-energy programme and is expected to support the development of nuclear technology and infrastructure in the kingdom.
Reuters reported that the agreement would allow Saudi Arabia to enrich uranium and reprocess nuclear waste, both of which are sensitive parts of the nuclear fuel cycle. The issue has attracted attention from nuclear non-proliferation advocates because enrichment and reprocessing can also provide potential pathways towards nuclear-weapons capability.
Saudi Arabia has said its nuclear programme is intended for peaceful purposes and has emphasised its commitment to international standards and transparency.
Uranium is primarily valuable because it can be used as fuel in nuclear reactors. Nuclear power plants use controlled nuclear fission to generate heat, which is then converted into electricity. Saudi Arabia's own nuclear programme also identifies nuclear energy as a potential source for electricity generation and water desalination.
For Saudi Arabia, developing domestic uranium resources could potentially reduce dependence on imported nuclear fuel and strengthen its ambitions to build a more integrated nuclear-energy sector. However, the newly announced discovery is not the same as having a commercially viable uranium reserve; further exploration, assessment, extraction studies and processing would be required to establish how much uranium can actually be recovered economically.
The announcement therefore represents a significant resource discovery, but its eventual economic and strategic importance will depend on the quality of the ore, recoverable quantities and the feasibility of extraction.
The uranium announcement fits into Saudi Arabia's broader push to develop domestic mineral resources alongside its traditional oil industry.
The kingdom has been seeking to expand mining and mineral investment under its economic diversification strategy, while simultaneously developing nuclear energy as part of its future energy mix.
For now, the key figure is the 110 million tonnes of uranium-bearing and rare-earth-rich ore identified in the Medina region. How much usable uranium that material ultimately contains — and whether it can be extracted commercially at scale — will require further geological and technical assessment.
Sources: India Today; Reuters; Saudi Energy Ministry; US Department of Energy; IAEA-related reporting