Saudi Arabia discover 110 million tons of rock containing uranium
The Energy Minister of Saudi Arabia Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman made the announcement of 110 million tons of uranium discovery while speaking at the International Atomic Energy Agency General Conference in Vienna.
The discovery was further confirmed through geological and stratigraphy studies at Jabal Sayid, near Madinah.
According to the energy minister, the discovered rocks also contains high concentrations of other rare earth elements along with a large volume of uranium.
The Saudi Arabia uranium discovery involves an estimated 110 million tonnes of raw material containing uranium concentrations.
Saudi Arabia’s nuclear plans
The announcement comes as the kingdom continues developing a comprehensive nuclear programme for civil purposes.
The Saudi Arabia nuclear programme is being presented by officials as a peaceful initiative that will be developed in cooperation with the international community.
Prince Abdulaziz said the kingdom does not develop its peaceful programme in isolation.
He also said Saudi Arabia would not use secret facilities hidden deep inside mountains.
The Saudi Arabia nuclear programme has attracted international interest because of the country’s plans to expand its nuclear energy capabilities.
The newly reported Madinah uranium reserves could become important if Saudi Arabia moves ahead with further nuclear development.
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Why the discovery matters
Uranium is an important raw material for nuclear energy.
The uranium-bearing ore found near Madinah could potentially support Saudi Arabia’s long-term nuclear ambitions.
However, the discovery does not mean the material can immediately be used as nuclear fuel.
Further processing, development and regulatory steps would be required before commercial use.
The Saudi Arabia uranium discovery also includes rare earth elements, making the reported geological findings significant beyond uranium alone.
The scale of the Madinah uranium reserves is likely to attract further attention from energy and nuclear experts.
US-Saudi nuclear cooperation
The discovery comes after the United States and Saudi Arabia reached an agreement in July on civil nuclear power cooperation.
The agreement would allow Riyadh to enrich uranium and build nuclear reactors using US technology.
The development has drawn attention from nuclear non-proliferation groups.
The Arms Control Association criticised the planned “123 agreement” because it does not include the Additional Protocol.
The protocol gives the International Atomic Energy Agency wider powers to inspect nuclear-related locations, including undeclared sites.
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What happens next?
The Saudi Arabia nuclear programme is expected to remain under close international attention as the kingdom develops its plans.
The uranium-bearing ore could become a valuable resource if it can be economically extracted and processed.
At the same time, the Saudi Arabia uranium discovery does not by itself confirm how the resources will eventually be used.
The Madinah uranium reserves could give Saudi Arabia another important domestic resource as it looks to expand its energy options.
