A new pillar for Saudi energy and minerals
Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman announced the discovery at the 70th General Conference of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Vienna on September 14, 2026. Exploration and geological studies at the Jabal Sayid project in the Madinah region have identified estimated resources of around 110–114 million tonnes of ore containing high concentrations of rare earth elements, particularly heavy rare earth elements, alongside promising concentrations of uranium. The material carries high concentrations of heavy rare earth elements alongside promising uranium content.
Prince Abdulaziz stated at the IAEA General Conference that Saudi Arabia’s national atomic energy project is actively exploring uranium resources for economic utilization, thereby linking the Jabal Sayid discovery to the national atomic energy project. He also connected it to the Kingdom’s broader economic diversification goals.
Officials have not yet released uranium grades or detailed economic studies for the Jabal Sayid ore; current reporting notes that no grades, element distribution data, recovery factors or full economic studies have yet been published. The commercial value of the discovery therefore remains subject to further technical work. What is clear is the geological scale and the strategic intent behind placing it at the IAEA’s flagship annual forum.
Prince Abdulaziz told the IAEA General Conference that Saudi Arabia exercises its right to use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes and that its programme will be developed transparently and in cooperation with the international community. Uranium exploration and fuel-cycle capabilities are now seen as strategic enablers of long-term energy security.
Vision 2030, nuclear ambition and the Arabian Shield
At the IAEA General Conference, Prince Abdulaziz emphasised Saudi Arabia’s right to pursue peaceful uses of nuclear energy and underscored that the Kingdom will not develop its programme in isolation from the international community or through secret facilities, signalling a commitment to transparency and cooperation.
Recent official statements note that one pathway for uranium resource development involves recovering uranium associated with phosphoric acid produced in phosphate fertilizer operations, and describe Saudi Arabia as the world’s second-largest exporter of phosphate fertilizers.
Saudi officials have outlined a pathway to recover uranium associated with phosphoric acid produced in phosphate fertilizer operations, based on pilot work carried out with French company Orano yielding promising economic indicators. This would provide a secondary feedstock source for nuclear fuel. The Jabal Sayid discovery refers to ore within a mineral belt in the Arabian Shield already known for copper and gold deposits, and current reporting describes it as a hard-rock ore deposit containing rare earths and uranium. Jabal Sayid lies within the Arabian Shield, an area known for copper and gold mining, and the site has long been recognised for its base metals mineralisation.
The latest studies represent a major expansion and redefinition of that known system. Saudi official and media reports state that exploration and geological studies, including stratigraphic work at the Jabal Sayid project in the Madinah region, have identified estimated resources of around 114 million tonnes of ore with high concentrations of rare earth elements and promising uranium. This discovery is therefore both a product of sustained technical effort on the Arabian Shield and a timely policy move aligned with Vision 2030’s energy and industrial goals.
What do the numbers actually tell investors?
Qatar News Agency reports that Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman announced an estimated 114 million tonnes of ore containing high concentrations of rare earth minerals and promising uranium deposits at the Jabal Sayid project in Madinah.
Asharq Al-Awsat reports Prince Abdulaziz saying that the Jabal Sayid project is among the most significant rare earth resource sites currently under development globally. The uranium dimension adds a nuclear layer to an already strategically important minerals belt.
Specialist commentary on the Jabal Sayid discovery notes that 110 million tonnes of mineralized rock is not 110 million tonnes of rare earths, and that no current rare earth grades, element distribution data, recovery factors or full economic studies have yet been released. Analysts caution against equating 110 million tonnes of mineralised rock with 110 million tonnes of commercially viable rare earths or uranium. The announcement is a geological resource statement, not a mine plan or production schedule.
The numbers establish scale and geological significance for this discovery. They do not yet prove near-term cash flow or export potential. Saudi and regional media report a partnership between Saudi Arabian Mining Company (Ma’aden) and US-based MP Materials aimed at developing capabilities for processing and separation of rare earth elements and production of associated uranium in the Kingdom. It shows that the Jabal Sayid ore figures sit inside a broader project pipeline rather than being a standalone headline.
Stakeholders: who gains and who watches closely?
The Saudi government is the primary stakeholder. The energy ministry and the national atomic energy project sit at the centre of planning for nuclear fuel and power. Prince Abdulaziz’s remarks in Vienna underline that Riyadh sees uranium exploration as part of its sovereign right to pursue peaceful nuclear technology. As a result, the discovery strengthens the Kingdom’s negotiating position in ongoing nuclear cooperation talks, including with the United States and other technology suppliers.
Mining service firms, geology consultancies and engineering contractors will also see opportunity. Detailed resource definition, prefeasibility studies and infrastructure planning around Jabal Sayid will require sustained technical investment.
Outlook: from resource statement to investable projects
The next phase for Jabal Sayid is detailed geological modelling, resource classification, metallurgical testing and economic studies. These steps will convert the current ore estimates into bankable projects under internationally recognised reporting codes. Investors should watch for the release of uranium and rare earth grades, recovery rates and cost curves. These metrics will determine whether the deposit supports stand-alone uranium output, rare earth production, or an integrated multi-commodity operation.
Permitting frameworks, environmental studies and social licence factors will shape the pace of advancement toward development. The atomic energy project’s dual focus on hard-rock uranium and uranium from phosphate fertiliser streams shows a deliberate effort to diversify resource channels and create multiple fuel supply options.
In that context, new potential suppliers such as Saudi Arabia may help moderate long-term price volatility, particularly if they align with international safeguards and provide transparent production data.
Until Jabal Sayid’s commercial metrics are clear, major utilities and fuel buyers will treat Saudi uranium as a future option rather than a core supply basket component. On the rare earth side, Jabal Sayid could support a broader shift to diversify supply away from single-country dominance and build regional processing hubs. Saudi partnerships with firms such as MP Materials point toward exactly that kind of strategic structure.
If executed well, this dual uranium–rare earth focus may position Saudi Arabia as both an energy and materials supplier to emerging industrial ecosystems across Asia, Europe and the wider Middle East. Key signals to track over the next two to five years include formal resource statements under international reporting codes, announcements of pilot plants or processing facilities, and any nuclear cooperation agreements that reference Saudi uranium sourcing. The Kingdom’s evolving stance at the IAEA and in bilateral nuclear talks will indicate how it intends to balance domestic fuel ambitions with global non-proliferation expectations — and investors should expect a measured but steady progression from this landmark discovery toward structured, financeable projects.
Quick answers
Exploration and geological studies at the Jabal Sayid project in the Madinah region have identified estimated resources of approximately 110–114 million tonnes of mineralised ore containing high concentrations of heavy rare earth elements and promising uranium content, according to Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman.
Saudi Arabia aims to develop a civilian nuclear energy programme under Vision 2030, using domestic uranium resources to diversify its energy mix, reduce hydrocarbon dependence, and grow mining into a third economic pillar alongside oil and services.
No production timeline has been announced. The project must still complete detailed geological modelling, metallurgical testing and economic feasibility studies before it can be classified as a bankable development project under international reporting standards.
