Saudi Arabia has identified an estimated 110 million tonnes of uranium-bearing ore in the Medina region as the kingdom moves to develop nuclear power and expand its domestic mineral resources.
Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman announced the estimate Monday at the International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA) 70th General Conference in Vienna, saying Saudi Arabia is continuing uranium exploration while examining recovery of the metal as a byproduct of fertilizer production.
“Exploration and geological studies have revealed estimated resources of around 110 million tonnes of ore with high concentrations of rare earth minerals, especially the heavy elements, alongside promising concentrations of uranium,” Prince Abdulaziz said, according to Arab News.
The announcement adds a potentially important domestic source of uranium as Saudi Arabia seeks to introduce nuclear generation into an energy system historically dominated by oil and natural gas.
Grade unclear
Prince Abdulaziz did not disclose the uranium grade in the ore or provide an estimate of contained uranium, leaving the potential scale and economics of recovering the radioactive metal uncertain.
Ore tonnage alone does not establish the size of a uranium resource. Concentration, mineralogy, recovery rates and development costs would help determine whether the material could eventually support commercial production.
The discovery comes as Riyadh deepens nuclear cooperation with Washington and Canada. In July, the US and Saudi Arabia reached an agreement aimed at advancing a civilian nuclear program in the kingdom and potentially allowing uranium enrichment on Saudi territory. The 30-year, multibillion-dollar agreement gave US companies a central role in developing Saudi nuclear infrastructure while limiting opportunities for foreign competitors.
The same month, Mark Carney became the first Canadian prime minister to visit Saudi Arabia in 26 years. The two countries signed more than more than $710 million in commercial agreements aimed at expanding trade and investment.
Saudi Arabia’s latest exploration results could eventually give the kingdom another piece of the uranium cycle, although the lack of disclosed grades means it remains too early to determine whether the Medina find could provide an economic domestic supply.
