Saudi Arabia Outlines Uranium Development Plans and US Safeguards Arrangements at IAEA
VIENNA, September 14 (Saudi Arabia Breaking News) - Saudi Arabia is pursuing uranium recovery and processing as part of plans to develop a domestic minerals industry, Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman bin Abdulaziz said, while outlining voluntary safeguards arrangements with the United States that will be subject to International Atomic Energy Agency oversight.
Addressing the IAEA’s 70th General Conference in Vienna, the minister said Saudi ambitions extended from exploration and mining to processing, uranium recovery and purification, and yellowcake production. Development would depend on economic feasibility and comply with the Kingdom’s international obligations, he said.
The National Atomic Energy Project is assessing several sources of uranium. These include recovery from phosphoric acid produced in phosphate fertiliser operations in northern Saudi Arabia, uranium associated with rare-earth resources at Jabal Sayid, and conventional deposits being explored through the Sedimentary Cover Survey Initiative.
Prince Abdulaziz said pilot work with France’s Orano on uranium recovery from phosphate operations had produced promising economic indicators. A memorandum of understanding was signed during the Crown Prince’s visit to France in August, he added.
The minister described the resource estimate at Jabal Sayid and the related cooperation with US partners:
"Exploration and geological studies at the Jabal Sayid project in Madinah Region have identified estimated resources of approximately 114 million tons of ore containing high concentrations of rare earth elements, particularly heavy rare earth elements, alongside promising concentrations of uranium. This places the project among the most significant rare earth resource sites currently under development globally. This direction gained further momentum during the visit of HRH the Crown Prince to the United States of America in November 2025, when the two countries signed a framework for cooperation on critical minerals and securing supply chains. This was followed by a partnership between the Saudi Arabian Mining Company, Ma'aden, and the American company MP Materials to develop capabilities for the processing and separation of rare earth elements and the production of associated uranium."
Prince Abdulaziz said Saudi Arabia aimed to retain more of the minerals’ economic value domestically by developing processing, separation and refining capabilities, including rare-earth oxide production and the recovery of associated uranium.
He linked those plans to international cooperation on minerals and peaceful nuclear energy.
"In this context, the Kingdom's partnership with the friendly United States of America exemplifies this approach. Cooperation between the two countries spans critical minerals and supply chain security, as well as the peaceful uses of nuclear energy. Last July, this cooperation marked an important milestone with the signing of an agreement on cooperation in the peaceful uses of nuclear energy, known as the '123 Agreement'."
The minister said Saudi Arabia had established special voluntary safeguards arrangements with the United States within the framework of its Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement. Their implementation would be overseen by the IAEA under its established framework and in accordance with the role of its Board of Governors, he said.
Saudi Arabia also plans to introduce nuclear power into a more diverse national energy mix, Prince Abdulaziz said, citing rising demand.
"Our meeting today comes at a time when the world is witnessing rapid growth in energy demand, driven by economic, technological and industrial expansion. Amid these developments, diversifying energy sources and enhancing their reliability and sustainability have become essential to supporting economic growth and ensuring security of supply."
He said the Kingdom was strengthening its nuclear regulatory framework, national capabilities and preparedness for nuclear and radiological emergencies, alongside technical cooperation with the IAEA and international partners.
Source: SPA
