Mining in Saudi Arabia grew by 6.3 per cent year-on-year (y-o-y) in Q1 2018, according to data issued by the General Authority for Statistics in July
Coupled with expansion in non-oil manufacturing (4.6 per cent) and government services (3.4 per cent), the strong performance of the mining sector helped drive overall GDP growth to 1.2 per cent over the period, breaking a run of four consecutive quarters of negative growth.
The industry also helped offset slower growth in the oil industry (0.6 per cent), along with contractions in retail and hospitality (-0.5 per cent) and construction (-2.4 per cent), according to report by Oxford Business Group.
The expansion in mining activity comes amid a push to attract private investment into the sector to further develop it as one of the main contributors to the economy.
In July, Khalid Al Falih, Saudi Arabia?s minister of energy, industry and mineral resources, announced the completion of an adjusted mining investment system designed to incentivise investment in projects.
Under the revised mechanism, the kingdom aims to build a comprehensive database of its mineral resources, intensify exploration and develop new funding methods for projects.
The development aligns with the kingdom?s Vision 2030 economic strategy, which looks towards greater private sector involvement to diversify the economy away from its dependence on hydrocarbons.
As for the extent of mining?s contribution, Al Falih said the government plans to make the sector the third pillar of the economy, alongside oil and downstream petrochemical production.
The pursuit of these goals is likely to be supported by high levels of mineral deposits: the MEIMR estimates Saudi Arabia?s mineral wealth at around US$1.3 trillion, with gold reserves put at US$240bn and significant deposits of bauxite, copper and phosphates.
This figure could rise further as more survey work is undertaken. In February officials said the Saudi Geological Survey had at least five more years of testing to undertake to identify and quantify new deposits.
Rising demand and commodity prices could make the country?s mining sector an attractive buy, with leading local extractor the Saudi Arabian Mining Company (Ma?aden) experiencing higher returns this year. Half-yearly results showed an 82.9 per cent y-o-y rise in net profits to US$320mn, and the company cited an increase in sales volume and mineral prices as factors underpinning growth.
One commodity that Ma?aden is looking to develop is copper, according to Darren Davis, the company?s acting CEO. ?We would like to be a lot bigger in copper,? he told international media on August 6. ?We think it is a great metal for the future.?
While looking at buying into assets overseas, Davis said Ma?aden wanted to build on its existing domestic copper operation, which currently consists of a single mine located 350km southeast of Jeddah that began production in 2016.
Mining growth to spur development in related industries
Continued expansion in the mining industry is expected to present growth opportunities to firms operating in related sectors, with the expected quadrupling of mining?s economic output to require significant investment in dedicated infrastructure, equipment and technology.
While Saudi Arabia is investing extensively in its rail network, providing heavy-moving capacity and linking its mineral reserves with ports and logistics hubs, demand for earth moving and loading equipment, engines and rail rolling stock for moving the take from the new mines is set to rise sharply in the coming years.
In mid-May Saudi-US rail services joint venture Savage Saudi Arabia delivered five new locomotives and two locomotive booster units to Ma?aden?s Wa?ad Al Shamal Phosphate Company, to be used to move mining offtake to the industrial towns of Wa?ad Al Shamal and Ras Al Khair.
