JEDDAH, 24 January 2008 — The first international exhibition for mineral exploration and applications opened at the Jeddah International Convention Center on Tuesday night, with Jeddah Gov. Mishaal ibn Majed describing MENA-EX 2008 as “the gateway for potential investors.”
Around 190 companies from 16 countries are taking part in the four-day exhibition, some of them with their latest mining and geological equipment.
Saudi Geological Survey (SGS) Chairman Dr. Zuhair Nawab and Saudi Arabia Mining Company (Maaden) President and CEO Dr. Abdullah Dabbagh highlighted the objectives of the expo. “The pioneering exhibition provides a wealth of opportunities for international investors in the mining sector,” Nawab said. Dabbagh said: “Maaden, the event’s principal sponsor, with its long history has global ambitions.”
Adding that “our objective is to place Saudi Arabia in the forefront of the mining sector and develop it as the biggest mining market in the world.” It is also the Kingdom’s strategy to diversify its investments into non-oil mineral resources and provide its youth with employment opportunities in alternative sectors.
The 40-year exploration by various organizations and companies operating in the Kingdom has led to the discovery of about 2,500 metallic minerals. Currently, Maaden is operating four gold mines.
The event is taking place at a time when more than $11 billion worth of new world-scale mining projects are under way. Alcan Rio Tinto, a major international mining group in Canada, which is the platinum sponsor for the exhibition, is also Maaden’s main partner in a major “Mine to metal” project, in addition to FirstGrowth Exploration & Development Services Corp. that provides value-added geophysical services to the oil, gas and mining industries.
Haruya Soga, manager at overseas marketing department of Tokyo-based Furukawa Rock Drill Co. Ltd. (FRD), said the company had displayed some of its products and services, including drilling, crushing and breaking equipment. “These machines are indispensable for opening up the earth. Our breakers are among the most sought-after in this part of the world,” Soga said. Australian mining equipment, technology and services are on display “MENA-EX 2008 offers an excellent opportunity for overseas companies offering mining and rail technology to showcase their products,” said Michael Kavanagh, Australia’s Riyadh-based commercial counselor and senior trade commissioner.
“Australia has been a power in the minerals industry for over a century and its industry is the third largest in the world by value” Kavanagh said, adding that Australia is also internationally acknowledged as a world leader in the development and supply of mining goods, services and technologies”.
Apart from the design and manufacture of big capital items such as mining trucks, Australian firms are competitive across the supply chain from exploration, engineering, minerals processing, environmental management, mine safety and education to research and development. Kavanagh added that 60 percent of mines around the world utilize mining software from Australia.
Andre Barbour, the Australian Trade Commission’s business development manager and mining industry specialist in Jeddah, said Australia’s companies such as Rio Tinto, Worley Parsons, Citigold Corporation, Citadel Resources Group, Crushing Mining Equipment, Intrepid Geophysics and Immersive Technologies had proven products and services.
Several workshops were scheduled during the three days with the participation of keynote speakers and experts in the fields of mining and mineral resources. Saudi Geological Survey presented the first workshop on the “Role as the Kingdom advisor on earth science and mineral resources.” The workshop focused on applying earth science technology in the Kingdom’s mining industry.
On behalf of SGS, Dr. Hani Feyani and Ziad Alsowaygh shared some strategies that were applied to implement SGS’ vision, mission, goals and activities. The agency’s activities including mineral exploration programs, hydrogeological studies, geohazard investigations, remote sensing studies, economical feasibility studies and IT were dealt with. They also drew attention to SGS’ services to the community that encompass laboratory, field support facilities and the training of a new generation of geologists and earth science specialists.
In another workshop on “Geologic mapping in Saudi Arabia, Faiq H. Kattan of SGS, said “geologic maps are the basic tool for geologic research, mineral exploration, environmental studies, geotechnical and engineering investigations, geohazard assessment, and mitigation projects. “Mineral exploration activities and new mineral deposits discovery in the Kingdom” was the subject of a third workshop.
