RIYADH, June 26 (Xinhua) -- The Saudi Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources announced Wednesday preferred bidders for its fifth mining licensing round, with the bidders' total exploration spending across six mining sites exceeding 136 million Saudi riyals (about 36.25 million U.S. dollars).
The tenders included the exploration rights of a variety of metal ores from regions covering 1,000 square km in total, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The ministry's spokesperson, Jarrah bin Mohammed Al-Jarrah, said the six sites, offered in the fifth round of the Saudi Exploration Competition, constitute the largest area the kingdom has ever recorded for a group bid.
Among the local and international winners, a Saudi private mining group, Al Masane Al Kobra Mining Company, secured the exploration rights of two major sites by allocating 46 million riyals for each.
The two sites are namely the Jabal Qaran site in Najran, south of the kingdom, which spans over 46 square km and contains copper, gold, and lead deposits, as well as the 274 square km Al-Hajirah site in the Asir region boasting gold, copper, and zinc deposits.
The second largest preferred bidder by exploration spending was the Saudi state-owned mining company Maaden, which has committed approximately 17.9 million riyals to win the rights to explore copper, silver, and gold deposits in the An-Nimas site in Asir.
Saudi-based Royal Roads Arabia Company won the Al-Mihah site in Mecca with 14.6 million riyals for exploration work at the 228 square km site containing copper, silver, and gold deposits.
Rights to the smaller Makman Hijab site in Riyadh, rich in gold and silver ores, and the Al-Halahila site in Najran, containing copper, zinc, and gold minerals, went to an alliance by the Saudi Eqleed Group and Indonesia-based Indotan Mining Company, and the Discovery Arabian Mining Company, respectively.
Al-Jarrah noted that the winning companies pledged to invest an additional 15 million riyals in community development near these sites and fostering local job opportunities. ■
