United News of Bangladesh

Saudi Arabian Mining Company (Maaden) has reported the discovery of 7.8 million ounces of additional gold resources across four locations in the Kingdom, strengthening its drive to grow domestic mineral reserves and build a global gold business. The new resources were identified at Mansourah Massarah, Uruq 20/21, Umm As Salam and the newly defined Wadi Al Jaww site. The expansion follows an intensive drilling programme that initially outlined more than nine million ounces before standard annual reporting adjustments. Mansourah Massarah delivered the biggest increase, adding three million ounces year-on-year. Uruq 20/21 and Umm As Salam together contributed 1.67 million ounces, while Wadi Al Jaww delivered a maiden resource of 3.08 million ounces. CEO Bob Wilt said the findings validate Maaden’s long-term strategy. “The results leave no doubt that the company’s long-term strategy is working on the ground. This is exactly why we continue to invest heavily in Saudi Arabia’s gold endowment,” he said. Read more: What Does Gold Carat Mean? Decoding Gold Purity Levels He added that the latest discoveries highlight the scale of Maaden’s exploration pipeline. “The addition of more than seven million ounces through drilling across the four areas demonstrates the scale and ongoing potential of Maaden’s gold portfolio, and it continues to deliver as we advance exploration and mine development. Our assets are growing, and that growth directly supports future cash generation.” Maaden’s 2026 exploration programme is focused on the Central Arabian Gold Region, where drilling has identified new mineralised zones and possible mine extensions. Work is also underway near the historic Mahd gold site to assess opportunities to extend mine life, reports Gulf News. Wilt said the results also support Maaden’s diversification plans. “The results underline the strength of the company’s broader pipeline. These early copper and nickel results show the same signals we saw first in gold and that the Arabian Shield has real scale to continue developing,” he said. “What we’re seeing at Shayban and Jabal Al Wakil points to a much bigger opportunity across the Kingdom and reinforces our ambition to build a strong multi-commodity portfolio alongside our growing gold business.” Read More: Gold price hits record Tk 234,680 per bhori in Bangladesh Maaden’s flagship Mansourah Massarah project now hosts an estimated 116 million tonnes grading 2.8 grams of gold per tonne, equivalent to a total resource of 10.4 million ounces. The company said mineralisation remains open at depth, with further drilling planned through 2026.