AMAK’s latest exploration update has put Saudi Arabia’s Najran region in focus. The company, Almasane Alkobra Mining Company (AMAK), disclosed that preliminary internal studies indicate nearly 11 million tonnes of mineral resources containing copper, zinc, gold, and silver within one of its exploration areas in Najran, in the southwest of the Kingdom. AMAK stated that exploration began immediately after it obtained the licence in September 2024. The announcement has been positioned as an early-stage resource picture, not the final word on size, grade, or economics.
Operationally, the timeline is tight and measurable. AMAK said it launched an intensive drilling programme in February 2025 and has drilled more than 27,000 metres since then. Yet the company also emphasized how early the work remains: drilling to date covers less than 10% of the total licensed area. That gap between current coverage and total terrain is a key part of the “and counting” story, because AMAK argues it leaves room to find additional resources as exploration expands beyond the initial targets.
Where the Licences Sit and Why Infrastructure Matters
The Najran discovery is tied to AMAK’s Al-Hijra and Jabal Qarn exploration licences. Together, these licences cover 274 square kilometres of terrain that the company received in September 2024. AMAK also noted a practical advantage that could matter for future development decisions: the exploration site is roughly 100 kilometres from its existing processing hub or processing complex. The company has framed that distance as an efficiency lever, pointing to shared infrastructure as a potential benefit if the project advances.
It is also important to separate what is known from what is still pending. One report notes AMAK has stressed the estimates are preliminary and not yet compliant with international reporting standards, while another update expects a JORC-compliant mineral resources report in the second half of 2026. AMAK has said it will continue geophysical and drilling programmes in 2026 to enhance current estimates. In parallel, it has commenced concept development studies to advance the exploration licence toward a mining licence, with results expected next year.
Market and policy context is already shaping how the AMAK Najran copper zinc discovery is being interpreted. On the day referenced in one report, AMAK shares rose 6% to close at SAR80.25. More broadly, the discovery is being discussed alongside Saudi Arabia’s wider mining push across the Arabian Shield, described as about 600,000 square kilometres and believed to contain $2.5 trillion of mineral wealth, nearly double earlier estimates of $1.3 trillion. Within Najran specifically, AMAK also disclosed it received a 10-year mining exploitation licence for the Katina site, covering 9.84 square kilometres and focused on extracting gold ore.
What did AMAK report in the Najran copper-zinc discovery update?
How much drilling has AMAK completed so far in Najran?
How large are the Al-Hijra and Jabal Qarn licences tied to the Najran work?
When is a JORC-compliant mineral resources report expected?
What other Najran licence did AMAK disclose besides the exploration work?
