Saudi Gold Refinery and state-run China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) will jointly undertake exploration programme for the Talha project in the Kingdom.

The collaboration will aid in advancing mineral exploration within Saudi Arabia, supportingVision 2030 goals to diversify its economy and expand its mining sector, the companies said in a joint statement.

The partnership was formalised with the signing of a contract in late October 2024 with the teams starting on a detailed mapping exercise and a thorough review of historical geological data.

The CNNC team, which arrived in Riyadh this week, has joined experts from Saudi Gold Refinery for a comprehensive project planning session and official kick-off meeting.

Site establishment activities are already underway, with CNNC set to mobilise to key exploration areas in the coming weeks.

Drill rigs are expected to begin operations in March 2025.

Preliminary assessments have identified strong anomalies, providing confidence in the potential for a significant discovery, the statement said.