RIYADH: Mining projects in AlUla will soon undergo environmentally focused monitoring as the Royal Commission signed an agreement with the Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources for granting licenses.   

This deal has been established to ensure sites are considered when planning and designing the authority’s projects. The new mechanism encompasses monitoring mining areas, complexes, and licenses, as well as sites of mineralized belts, reserve areas, and significant mineral and ore locations within the governorate’s lands, the Saudi Press Agency reported.     

As a prerequisite for issuing mining licenses, the mechanism stipulates that applicants within the Royal Commission of AlUla lands must submit an environmental impact study and develop a site rehabilitation and closure plan.   

Companies are also required to preserve water sources, the environment, and wildlife, protecting them from violations and other environmental damage.   

This aligns with RCU’s goal of working closely with partners and communities within Saudi Arabia and beyond to deliver an environmentally and historically sensitive transformation of AlUla.

Additionally, the mechanism further specified the regulatory procedures resulting from granting approvals within the authority’s territories, including the terms and details, in accordance with the mining investment system and its executive regulations. 

It also entails directing applicants for mining licenses to adhere to the requirements and controls stipulated in the mining investment and environmental divisions, in addition to the conditions set by the RCU. 

Increasing visitor numbers to AlUla, the cultural and tourism hub, is already boosting Saudi Arabia’s economy in line with Vision 2030 ambitions. 

Situated in the northwest of the country and covering around 22,000 sq. km, the Kingdom’s historic city also boasts a thriving agricultural sector that plays a pivotal role in its economic development.  

Built upon social, economic, and ecological principles, RCU has outlined a strategic roadmap for the comprehensive development of the area, with the primary objective of assisting the Kingdom in diversifying beyond oil and contributing to the national gross domestic product.   

This strategy encompasses three main pillars including tourism, heritage, and nature, local community and economic diversification.

Phillip Jones, chief tourism officer at RCU, told Arab News earlier this year: “AlUla is an integral part of the tourism objectives driven by Saudi Vision 2030. With AlUla’s regional economy primarily driven by tourism, by 2035, AlUla will contribute a cumulative SR120 billion ($31 billion) to the Kingdom’s GDP.”