The Arabian-Nubian Shield, often hailed as the ‘holy grail’ of mining, is poised to become Egypt’s cornerstone mineral asset, propelling economic growth and development. This vast geological formation, spanning Egypt, Jordan, Ethiopia, Saudi Arabia, and Sudan, is a treasure trove of precious metals and minerals. Its potential to ignite Egypt’s mining industry is immense, offering a catalyst to accelerate the nation’s economic trajectory.
Officials have already emphasized the importance of developing and marketing this asset for investment, as it was discussed as a core issue during this year’s Egypt Mining Forum, attended by Egyptian Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, Karim Badawi. During the session titled “Positioning the Arabian-Nubian Shield as the Next Big Exploration Target”, Minister Badawi expressed his optimism about the commitment and will of all Egyptians, pointing to how this can be channeled to enhancing the potential of the Arabian Nubian Shield and the wider mining sector as a whole. “I have a strong belief that the people of Egypt have tremendous will and skills,” said Badawi. “We are committed to making [Egypt] an attractive destination for investments in mining.”
During the EMF, Jordanian Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Saleh Al-Kharabsheh also expressed hopes that this impressive asset could be a source of additional bilateral cooperation with Egypt saying, “I strongly believe that developing the mining sector in Egypt will definitely help in developing the mining sector in Jordan today.” He added, “The Nubian Shield, which extends across Egypt, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia, offers exceptional opportunities for cooperation in mineral resource development.”
It may be an asset that many countries enjoy, yet Egypt as an economic power has a unique position in becoming one of the big winners in benefiting from the Arabian Nubian Shield. For one thing, Egypt enjoys a higher level of security and stability are major factors that have boosted investors’ confidence in the country as a safe place for investment. Dr. Nicolas Steenkamp, an independent geological consultant, reiterated the importance of Egypt’s stability in his article titled “The Arabian-Nubian Shield: The Next Big Exploration Target” in the publication “African Mining” in which he wrote, “Geopolitical instability is the prevailing risk in the Nubian portion of the [Arabian Nubian Shield], with government instability and regional conflicts in the Sudan and Tigray region of Ethiopia and Eritrea, which remains volatile. The governments of these countries have, however, over the last couple of years moved toward implementing legislation that would make it more attractive to foreign investors and developers to undertake exploration and potentially establish mining operations. Egypt is the most stable country in the region and continues to offer more licenses for exploration.”
Among the other significant advantages that Egypt has over its neighbors which share the Arabian Nubian is a highly developed infrastructure, granting easy access for the transportation of minerals from the asset itself as well as facilitating easing movement for the necessary site personnel. Statements by experts in an article published by the American Chamber of Commerce in Egypt and authored by Tamer Hafez titled “Egypt’s New Mining Game” indicated that Egypt’s part of the Arabian Nubian Shield enjoys long roads and transportation networks that connect the Red Sea coast with Upper Egypt. It was also noted that the area itself is linked with four roads that lead to main highways with open access to airports and seaports on the Red Sea.
It goes without saying that the challenge of distance dies at the doorstep of geography, with Egypt being strategically and conveniently located close to European markets where the Mediterranean links up with the Red Sea. For this reason, Egypt has the potential to not only serve the region as a major supplier for Europe but also as a gateway for other countries that are part of the Arabian Nubian Shield. The advantages of Egypt’s geographic position were also spelled out by Martin Horgan, CEO of Centamin PLC, in the panel discussion titled “Positioning the Arabian-Nubian Shield as the Next Big Exploration Target” of Egypt Mining Forum 2024, where he said, “With a population of over 100 million and growing, Egypt is a very interesting opportunity not just in mining but broadly. We think about it as a sort of gateway on the doorstep of Europe, from manufacturing to the ability to be able to sell to the European market.
As Minister Karim Badawi asserts that work on Egypt’s mining investment portal will be complete soon, Egypt’s position among elite global mining has already been reserved. With its historic legacy of being the ancient world’s gold mine combined with its well-developed infrastructure, unshakable stability, strategic geographic position, and investor-friendly policies, Egypt is slated to be the next go-to destination for miners, investors, and ambitious entrepreneurs as the country’s Arabian Nubian Shield swiftly grabs the attention of global markets.
