Saudi Arabia Discovers 114M Tons of Rare Earth Elements

Saudi Arabia just made a discovery that could reshape the future of clean energy technology worldwide.

The kingdom announced it found approximately 114 million tons of ore containing high concentrations of rare earth elements in the Madinah Region. The deposit also includes promising amounts of uranium, materials essential for everything from electric vehicles to wind turbines to nuclear power plants.

Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman, Saudi Arabia's Minister of Energy and Industry, shared the news at the International Atomic Energy Agency's annual conference in Vienna. He called it "among the most significant rare earth resource sites currently under development globally."

The discovery came from exploration work at the Jabal Sayid project. The site contains particularly high levels of heavy rare earth elements, which are even more valuable and harder to find than their lighter counterparts.

Saudi Arabia isn't keeping this opportunity to itself. In 2025, the kingdom signed a partnership with the United States on critical minerals and supply chain security. Saudi mining company Ma'aden teamed up with American firm MP Materials to develop processing capabilities for these rare earth elements.

The timing couldn't be better. The world needs these materials to build the technology that powers our sustainable future. Rare earth elements are crucial components in solar panels, electric car batteries, smartphones, and defense systems.

The Ripple Effect

This discovery means more than just economic opportunity for Saudi Arabia. It could help break China's current dominance in rare earth production and processing, which controls about 70% of global supply. More diverse sources mean more stable prices and reliable access to materials the world needs for clean energy.

The kingdom is already exploring multiple pathways to maximize these resources. They're working with French company Orano on recovering uranium from phosphate fertilizer operations in northern Saudi Arabia. Early pilot projects show promising economic results.

Saudi Arabia also reported having significant deposits of phosphate, gold, copper, zinc, silver, bauxite, and other critical minerals. The country is conducting additional surveys to find even more uranium from conventional sources.

Prince Abdulaziz emphasized that Saudi Arabia's nuclear energy program follows strict international safety standards and regulatory frameworks. The kingdom sees nuclear power as part of its strategy to diversify beyond oil while meeting growing energy demands.

This discovery represents a major step toward energy independence and sustainability, not just for Saudi Arabia but for countries worldwide that need these materials to build cleaner futures.