It is a brief introduction to vast ceramic opportunities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

1. Ceramic Opportunities in Kingdom of
Saudi Arabia
Prepared by :
Manas Banerjee

2. Introduction
Mineral Resources in Kingdom of Saudi
Arabia

3. General Information
• Kingdom of Saudi Arabia located at the middle east as
a crosswords of Europe, Asia and Africa.
It is surrounded by the Arabian Gulf on the West.
It borders Jordan, Iraq and Kuwait to the north Yemen to
the south, and Oman, United Arab Emirates and Qatar
to the East.
• Population : 29.2 millions ( March 2015).
• Government : Monarchy since 23, September 1932.
• Land Area : 2.25 million Square Kilometers.

4. Overview
Mineral deposits in Saudi Arabia are widespread and of
many types, ranging from gold to lightweight aggregate.
The bulk of metallic mineral resources are contained in
Precambrian rocks of the Arabian shield, in the western
part of the country.
Non-metallic resources are contained in both Precambrian
rocks and Phanerozoic rocks that overlie the Arabian
shield in the central and northern parts of the Kingdom.

5. Generalized Geological Map of the Arabian
Peninsula

6. Mineral resources
• The chief metallic mineral resources include:
 • Gold
• Zinc
• Copper
• Tin-Tungsten
The chief non-metallic resources include:
 • Phosphate
• High-grade silica sand
• Feldspar
• Kaolin
• Basalt and scoria
• Gypsum and anhydrite
• Limestone and dolomite
• Ornamental stone
• Quartz

7. Non Metallic Resources
Quartz :
• A colourless mineral often tinted by impurities,
found in igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic
rocks. It is used in the manufacture of glass,
abrasives, and cement, and also as a gemstone; the
violet-purple variety is amethyst, the brown variety
is cairngorm, the yellow variety is citrine, and the
pink variety is rose quartz.
• Composition: Silicon dioxide.
• Formula: SiO2.
• Crystal structure: Hexagonal

8. Saudi Quartz Occurrences
 Most Quartz occurrences in Saudi Arabia are found as:
• Quartz veins and pegmatite occur through out the Arabian shield where
they are related in pact to granitic intrusive. Most of the quartz veins are
mineralized but some occurrences are barren. These veins are suitable for
industrial applications especially in the for the production of silicon,
ferrosilicon, piezoelectric quartz, and electronics. For these application the
quartz raw material must contain (> 99 % SiO2, < 0.1 % Al2O3, < 0.1%
Fe2O3).
Quartz veins :
• Most quartz veins are isolated with dimensions not
• exceeding to 80m X 100m X 100m.
Quartz cupolas :
• Appears to be dome shaped quartz bodies – cupola.
• Pegmatite (granitic composition):
Conventionally, zoned pegmatite bodies have been mined for feldspar as the
feldspar occurs in the marginal zone of such bodies.

9. Areas of Quartz Occurrences in KSA

10. Quartz Mining Companies in KSA
1. United Mining Investments Co.
 Quartz Projects
Two hydrothermal quartz deposits are licensed for mining by UMIC.
Preliminary exploration work and laboratory tests to evaluate the deposits were
carried out in collaboration with the Saudi Geological Survey (S.G.S). This
work indicated that the deposits are of a hydrothermal origin, of a rip type, with
fluids rich in silica dioxide (SiO2) deposited in debility surfaces. The deposits
have significant reserves of quartz with greater than 99 percent SiO2
 The further processed product is high-grade raw SiO2, which can be used for
the manufacturing of high-value intermediate and final industrial products for
tomorrow's high-tech industries such as:
• High-purity (99.99% silica) for producing metallurgical, chemical and
electronic grade Silicon,
• Polycrystalline quartz for semiconductors (silicon chip) and photovoltaic
cells(solar cells).
2. FAD ARABIAN FOR MINING CO.LTD,located in Dammam-Saudi Arabia.
3. Al Shamrani Group, located in Dammam-Saudi Arabia.

11. Feldspar
• Feldspars (KAlSi3O8 – NaAlSi3O8 – CaAl2Si2O8) are
a group of rock-forming tectosilicate minerals that
make up as much as 60% of the Earth's crust.
Feldspars crystallize from magma as veins in both
intrusive and extrusive igneous rocks and are also
present in many types of metamorphic rock.
• Crystal system: Triclinic or Monoclinic
• Mohs scale hardness: 6.0–6.5
• Density: 2.56

12. Areas of Feldspar Occurrences in KSA

13. Feldspar Mining Companies in KSA
1. United Mining Investments Co.
UMIC holds an exploration license that covers wide
area. Over a period of about 2 years, UMIC
undertook an extensive program of technical studies
in the license area. The first phase of the technical
program involved geological fieldwork, in order to
prepare geological maps of the license area. Based on
this work, a smaller part of the license was selected
for more intensive and detailed technical evaluation.
2. Al Shamrani Group, located in Dammam-Saudi
Arabia.

14. Kaolin or China Clay
Kaolinite is a clay mineral, part of the group of
industrial minerals, with the chemical composition
Al2Si2O5(OH)4.
It is a layered silicate mineral, with one tetrahedral sheet
of silica (SiO4) linked through oxygen atoms to one
octahedral sheet of alumina (AlO6) octahedral.
Rocks that are rich in Kaolinite are known as Kaolin or
China Clay.

15. Kaolin Occurrences in Saudi Arabia
• Khushaym Radi : Kaolinitic clays are widespread in the clastic
Phanerozoic rocks of Saudi Arabia. Potential economic deposits of kaolin
are located in the Ar Riyad-Al Kharj area, particularly at Khushaym Radi,
and in the vicinity of Buraydah. The Khushaym Radi kaolin deposit
(24o10'N., 47o46'E.) is in the southeastern part of the area of the Ar Riyad
1:250,000-scale geologic map (sheet 24I; GM-121). The deposit is about
120 km east-southeast of Ar Riyad, 45 km east of Al Kharj, and 10 km
south of the Al Kharj-Harad road.
The white Kaolinitic clay in the lower member and at the top of the upper
member of the Wasia Formation contains 47.00-55.75 percent total SiO2;
25.00-29.40 percent Al2O3; 2.40-2.60 percent Fe2O3; 1.26-2.05 percent
TiO2; 0.40-1.26 percent K2O+Na2O; and 0.90- 2.85 percent CaO+MgO.
The CaO+MgO content is too high for the clay to be used as a raw material
in the manufacture of silico-aluminous refractory products, although the
alkali content is acceptable. It is not suitable as a filler.

16. Kaolin Occurrences in Saudi Arabia
Ceramic-aptitude tests made on samples taken from pits in the lower Kaolinitic
clay and upper white clay at the southern end of Central Hill indicated the
samples have a high proportion of coloring impurities and soluble salts,
especially Fe2O3 and NaCl. The material is suitable for earthenware (white
ware) but needs the addition of a flux to provide for development of
vitreous phases during firing, and of an inert material to reduce drying and
shrinking when fired. It is being quarried for the manufacture of sanitary
ware.
Az Zabirah Kaolin Deposit :
Ma’aden Az Zabirah Kaolin is located in the vicinity of Hail District, which is
65 km north of Al-Baitha and 80 km north of Turubah.

17. Areas of Kaolin Occurrences in KSA

18. Kaolin Mining Companies in KSA
Ma’aden Industrial Minerals :
Az Zabirah Kaolin is located in the vicinity of
Hail District, which is 65 km north of Al-
Baitha and 80 km north of Turubah.
Supply of Kaolin to the phosphates industry for
the production of phosphoric acid started in
2011. The average production is 120,000
Metric Ton Per Year ( MTPY ) for Kaolin.

19. Ball Clay
• Ball clay is an extremely rare mineral found in very few places
around the world. Its name dates back to the early methods of
mining when specialized hand tools were used to extract the clay in
rough cube shapes of about 30 cm. As the corners were knocked
through handling and storage these cubes became rounded and ‘ball’
shaped. It also is sometimes referred to as plastic clay.
• Ball clays are sedimentary in origin. Ancient rivers and streams
washed Kaolinite (formed from decomposed granite) from its parent
rock. As the streams flowed from upland area they mixed with other
clay minerals, sands, gravels and vegetation before settling in low-
lying basins to form overlaying seams of ball clay. Ball clays
usually contain three dominant minerals: from 20-80% Kaolinite,
10-25% mica, and 6-65% quartz. In addition, there are other
'accessory' minerals and some carbonaceous material (derived from
ancient plants) present.

20. Ball Clay
Uses :
Ball clay used in ceramic industry for
Tableware,sanitaryware,walls or floor tiles, refractory clays
and also in non ceramic industries like in construction,
horticulture and agriculture industries.
Occurrence in Saudi Arabia :
Even there is presence of high alumina clay in the Ma’aden Az
Zabirah Kaolin project, but the chemical composition is not
same as ball clay.
Saudi Arabia imports Ball Clay from other countries to satisfy the
needs for the country’s ceramic companies and agriculture
industries.

21. Talc
Talc is a clay mineral composed of hydrated magnesium silicate with the
chemical formula H2Mg3(SiO3)4 or Mg3Si4O10(OH)2.
In loose form, it, along with corn starch, is one of the most widely used
substances known as baby powder (in the case of talc, often called simply
talcum powder).
System: Triclinic
Colour: Colorless, white, pale
Lustre: Sub-Vitreous, Resinous, Waxy, Greasy, Pearly
Hardness: 1
Member of: Pyrophyllite-Talc Group
Name: Allegedly named in 1546 by Georgius Agricola (Georg Bauer) from
Arabic "talq", pure, probably alluding to the color of its powder.
Almost always in foliated masses ranging from white to beautiful bluish green.
Usually found in metamorphic rocks with abundant carbonate minerals
associated.

22. Talc Occurrences in Saudi Arabia
• Bi'r El Adhbat area and Eah Qay'lb mine , Eastern Asir
(reference: Origins of Arabia by Andrew Thompson)
• Kutam Cu-Zn Deposit, Mintaqah 'Asir, Saudi Arabia (
reference: Charles W. Smith, R. Ernest Anderson, and M. R.
Dehlavi (1976) Geology And Ore Deposits Of The Kutam
Mine, Kingdom Of Saudi Arabia. U. S. Geological Survey
Saudi Arabian Project Report 211; USGS Open file report 85-
240)
• Umm Lajj, Al Batha, on the red sea coast Saudi Arabia
(reference: Origins of Arabia by Andrew Thompson).

23. List of major Ceramic companies in Kingdom of
Saudi Arabia
• Saudi Ceramic Company, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
• Forsan Ceramics, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
• Future Ceramics, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
• Al Omran Group, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
• Ceramic Pipes company, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
• DAR Ceramics, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
• Porsalina, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
• Seedal Ceramic, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

24. Mining Industries in Saudi Arabia
• Saudi Arabia has an ambitious plan to increase the share
of mining in GDP to SR260 billion by 2030 .
• Between 2010 and 2012, revenues from non-petroleum
mining rose nearly 17%. There has been an almost
exponential increase in mineral exports since the turn of
the century, with exports of base metals quadrupling and
exports of precious metals increasing a hundredfold. The
government continues to invest heavily in the mining
sector, providing tax incentives and improving
infrastructure.
Clearly, opportunities abound as the Kingdom seeks to
capitalize upon its bounty of mineral resources. Entry
into this potentially lucrative market is conditional upon
obtaining a license. These are issued by the Ministry of
Petroleum and Mineral Resources (of which DMMR is an
offshoot) in accordance with the government’s Mining
Code, and can relate to exploration and/or exploitation.

25. Positive points for growth in Ceramic Industries in
Saudi Arabia
• Mining licenses enjoy several perks, there are no royalties payable.
• No import duties on imported mining equipment, crushing equipment , so can
import any type of machineries needed for the ceramic industry.
• No surface rental for exploration licenses. Moreover, although restricted in
duration to thirty years, they are renewable.
• Government support is always for the new mining ventures. Vast tracts of land are
already nominally under license, though the license-holder often lacks the
wherewithal to maximize its use. Therefore, joint ventures with state-owned
operators are, in practice, the optimum way into the Saudi mining sector.
• Availability of local contractors for support in infrastructure development.
• Availability of Port.
• Availability of Skilled ceramic professionals , business development professionals ,
sales representatives and unskilled labors.
• Vast local market as well as the GCC market.
• Specially for the ceramic industries as there is growth in real estate business in
Saudi Arabia, there is a vast chance of growth.

26. Points for Consideration
• Opportunities undoubtedly exist in mining, but there are
risks and challenges too. The aforementioned licensing
scheme has become increasingly unwieldy. The
Ministry’s right to remove inactive licenses is rarely
employed and is a hollow gesture that has done little to
dissuade passive speculators domestically. Expertise and
infrastructure can also prove difficult to access, though
this tends to be a geographical issue.
• Finally, mining represents a tiny proportion of Saudi’s
economy. Despite growth within the sector, its overall
size within the country’s GDP has actually fallen from
0.4% to 0.3% in the last couple of years.

27. Conclusion
At this stage, there is still some way to go for mining (
metallic and non metallic ) to become the ‘third
pillar’ in the national economy (after oil and
petrochemicals), but the will is certainly there and the
mining sector is displaying positive signs of growth.

28. THANK YOU