A surprising discovery in Saudi Arabia has shaken the global mining industry.

In December 2023, Saudi Arabia officially announced the discovery of a massive gold mine stretching about 100km south of the Mansourah Massarah mine, located in Al Khurmah province, Makkah region. According to information from mining company Ma'aden, this is the first discovery in the expanded exploration program that was initiated in 2022.

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Saudi Arabia officially announced the discovery of a massive gold mine stretching about 100km south of the Mansourah Massarah mine, located in Al Khurmah province, Makkah region. Photo: Arab News

Exploration results at two sites just 400m from the Mansourah Massarah mine revealed extremely high gold content, with soil samples containing up to 10.4g and 20.6g of gold per ton. This confirms the potential for high-quality gold mining in this area.​

Not stopping there, Ma'aden continues to expand exploration areas around Jabal al-Ghadara and Bir al-Tawila, located about 25km north of Mansourah Massarah. Results indicate a "gold belt" extending up to 125km, with estimated reserves of more than 200 tons of gold, valued at potentially trillions of USD.

According to a report from Sina, this discovery could have a significant impact on global gold prices. Robert Wilt, CEO of Ma'aden, stated: "These discoveries have the potential to become the center of the next gold rush in the world and are an important part of our growth strategy. And this is the first of many discoveries we expect to make in the coming years."

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Robert Wilt, CEO of Ma'aden, believes that these discoveries have the potential to become the center of the next gold rush in the world. Photo: Mining Digital

The Mansourah Massarah gold mine is considered the largest and most advanced in Saudi Arabia, currently being developed as an open-pit mine. With modern technology including carbon filtering, pressure oxidation, and the use of autoclaves for gold extraction, this mine is also designed for sustainable environmental protection.​

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The Mansourah Massarah gold mine is considered the largest and most advanced in Saudi Arabia, currently being developed as an open-pit mine. Illustrative photo

By the end of 2023, Mansourah Massarah is estimated to have nearly 7 million ounces of gold resources and an annual output of about 250,000 ounces, accounting for 4.5% of global gold production. This new discovery enhances Saudi Arabia's wealth and opens up the potential for untapped mineral resources in this country and neighboring regions. Saudi Arabia is also planning to expand exploration around the Mansourah Massarah area to search for more valuable resources.​

This discovery marks a significant step forward in the development strategy of the mining sector, one of the important economic pillars that Saudi Arabia is aiming for in Vision 2030.