Saudi Gazette report

RIYADH — The Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources (MIM) has conducted 2,013 inspection tours on a number of mining sites in different regions of Saudi Arabia during the month of July.

During the tours, MIM issued 101 penalties on establishments found to be violating the provisions of the Mining Investment Law. Of them, 49 penalties were for the failure to abide by the license conditions, 26 penalties for working outside the limits of the license, 24 penalties for working with an expired license, and 2 penalties for working without obtaining a license.

The spokesperson of MIM, Jarrah Al-Jarrah, has stated that establishments in Makkah region constituted the largest number of violators with 29 penalties, followed by Madinah region with 19 penalties, and Al-Jouf region with 11 penalties.

Riyadh region recorded 9 penalties, Asir and Al-Sharqiyah regions 7 each, Al-Qassim region 6, the Northern Border 5, Jazan region 4, Hail region 2 and Najran region 1.

Al-Jarrah confirmed the ministry's intention to continue inspection tours to follow up on mining activities and ensure protection of the sector from illegal practices.

This also comes to preserve the mineral resources for optimal utilization and to protect communities neighboring mining areas, in addition to applying the Regulations of the Mining Investment Law in a way that achieves the sustainability of the sector, he said.

The MIM aims to increase the value of natural mineral resources in Saudi Arabia and to raise the attractiveness of the sector for investment, in order to mke it the third pillar of the national industry in accordance with the objectives of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030.

Additionally, the ministry aims to contribute to diversifying the sources of national income and developing non-oil revenues as the value of mineral deposits in Saudi Arabia is estimated at about SR5 trillion.