Saudi Gazette report
RIYADH — The total number of mineralization sites discovered in Saudi Arabia reached 5,651 in 2024, with non-metallic minerals accounting for the majority at 54.1percent with 3,058 sites. This was revealed by General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT) in its Mineral Resources Statistics 2024 bulletin.

Highlighting recent developments in the Kingdom’s mining sector, the bulletin reported that metallic minerals accounted for 42.9 percent with 2,423 sites, while sites containing both metallic and non-metallic minerals comprised about 3 percent, totaling 170 sites.

GASTAT also noted a significant increase in mining licenses issued, rising from 1,985 in 2016 to 2,401 in 2024, a cumulative growth of 21percent over the period. In 2024, building materials quarry licenses constituted the largest category, totaling 1,481 licenses.

In foreign trade, aluminum exports reached 283,000 tons, accounting for 62.9 percent of total aluminum trade, while imports stood at 167,000 tons, representing 37.1 percent. Lead exports totaled 59,000 tons, comprising 93.7 percent of its total trade, with imports around 4,000 tons, or 6.3 percent. Zinc trade was almost entirely reliant on imports, totaling 88,000 tons, or over 99.9 percent, while exports did not exceed six tons. Nickel trade was exclusively import-based, totaling 407 tons.

The bulletin also noted an increase in the Kingdom’s phosphate fertilizer exports in 2024, rising to 5.7 million tons from 5.4 million tons the previous year, reflecting a growth of 4.6 percent. Conversely, imports of phosphate fertilizers fell to 66,200 tons in 2024, a decline of 51.7 percent compared to 2023.

As GASTAT's first bulletin of its kind, the Mineral Resources Statistics 2024 presents data on discovered mineralization sites, issued mining licenses, and the exports and imports of minerals and their manufactured products.