RIYADH: The Saudi minister of industry and mineral resources, Bandar Al-Khorayef, has issued seven decisions related to the largest allocation process for mining reserve sites in the Kingdom. They include 54 sites with an area of approximately 4000 km2. The decisions are part of the leadership’s goal to develop the mining sector. The sites — variously allocated to different ores, including gold, copper, silver, zinc, lead, iron, quartz and tin — are distributed in the regions of Riyadh, Makkah, Madinah, Asir, Hail and Najran. The Saudi Geological Survey plans to start a thorough study of the mining reservoirs to be presented later for investment opportunities.