Saudi Arabia unveils 110m-tonne uranium ore, rare-earth discovery

Saudi Arabia has announced the discovery of 110 million tonnes of uranium ore and rare-earth minerals in the Madinah region.
The country’s Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman unveiled the discovery at the 70th regular session of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) General Conference, reports Arab News.
Abdulaziz said the deposit contains high concentrations of rare-earth minerals, especially heavy elements, alongside promising uranium concentrations, based on exploration and geological studies at Jabal Sayid, 350km northeast of Jeddah in the Madinah region.
The announcement comes months after Washington and Riyadh formalised a civil nuclear cooperation agreement, signed by US Energy Secretary Chris Wright and Prince Abdulaziz on 22 July, deepening cooperation on critical minerals and supply chains.
The US Department of Energy said the agreements establish the legal foundation for a decades-long, multibillion-dollar partnership and give US companies greater access to Saudi Arabia’s civilian nuclear energy programme.
Prince Abdulaziz said efforts to develop the Kingdom’s critical minerals and nuclear sectors accelerated 
following Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s visit to the United States in November 2025.
Under the framework, the US Department of Defense will finance 49% of a new rare-earth processing plant in Saudi Arabia, while state mining company Maaden will hold a 51% stake alongside US rare-earth materials company MP Materials.
Meanwhile, a Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) analysis estimates the deposit contains around 552,000 tonnes of heavy rare earths, including dysprosium and terbium; 355,000 tonnes of light rare earths, including neodymium and praseodymium; and about 31,000 tonnes of uranium.
It could help Saudi Arabia to develop a domestic nuclear fuel cycle and potentially supply materials to the US.
Separately, the Saudi Press Agency reported in November 2025 that the estimated value of the country’s rare-earth discoveries had reached $100 billion, up 90% from 2018.
Saudi Geological Survey studies have also identified two advanced-stage exploration areas containing an estimated 644 million tonnes of mineral resources, underscoring the Kingdom’s push to develop its critical minerals sector.