Saudi Arabia Announces Massive Rare‑Earth and Uranium Find in Medina

At a bustling IAEA conference in Vienna, Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman dropped a bombshell: a staggering 110‑million‑ton cache of rare‑earth elements and uranium lies hidden beneath Medina, the second‑holiest city in Islam.

He wasn’t shy about the political flavor of the announcement. While lauding Saudi Arabia’s commitment to transparency, the prince warned that the kingdom had no appetite for secret nuclear weapons programs, a thinly‑veiled jab at Iran’s clandestine enrichment sites.

The discovery, reported by Al Arabiya, is being hailed as one of the world’s most significant new rare‑earth deposits. If developed, those minerals could power everything from smartphones to electric‑vehicle batteries, chipping away at China’s near‑monopoly on the market.

Uranium, too, could play a role—not in weapons, but in civilian nuclear power plants and medical isotopes, aligning with a 2024 U.S.–Saudi pact that opened the door to advanced American nuclear technology.

Prince Abdulaziz emphasized that the venture will be fully compliant with international law and the IAEA’s safeguards. "The Kingdom follows a clear approach founded on openness and cooperation," he said, echoing the agency’s own reassurance that it stands ready to assist.

This move fits neatly into Vision 2030, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s sweeping plan to reduce reliance on oil. Since 2017, Saudi officials have curbed uranium exports, pushed Aramco into mining partnerships, and earmarked $100 billion for rare‑earth projects.

Earlier this year, President Trump and Crown Prince Mohammed signed a joint agreement that would let an American firm co‑own a Saudi rare‑earth mine, while the U.S. Department of Energy sealed a parallel nuclear‑energy deal, branding it a “decades‑long, multi‑billion‑dollar partnership.”

IAEA Director‑General Rafael Grossi even posted a photo with Prince Abdulaziz on social media, noting that Saudi Arabia’s nuclear programme is moving forward with a “strong commitment to non‑proliferation.”

Critics caution that mining in a sacred city could spark religious sensitivities, but Saudi officials argue the economic benefits—job creation, technology transfer, and a diversified energy mix—outweigh the risks.

All eyes are now on Medina, where the next chapter of Saudi Arabia’s energy transformation may very well be written in rare‑earth ore and uranium rock.