The Wealth Map is Changing: Egypt Begins to Explore Its Mineral Treasures from the Sky

In a new step that reflects a strategic shift in the management of Egypt’s mineral resources, the Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources has launched a robust initiative to update the country’s geological database through the implementation of a national comprehensive aerial survey project. This project involves the participation of leading global companies specialized in seismic surveying and geological exploration.

This ambitious step comes within the framework of the Ministry’s third strategic program, which aims to maximize the added value of Egypt’s mineral wealth and raise the mining sector’s contribution to the GDP from less than 1% to about 5-6% in the coming years.

This transformation is considered one of the main pillars for doubling the state’s revenues from its natural resources and opening up promising investment opportunities for major international and local companies.

Engineer Karim Badawi, Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, chaired an extensive meeting at the ministry’s headquarters in the government district of New Alamein City. The meeting was attended by representatives from Argas, Metatek, Excalibur, and Novia—leading companies in aerial surveying, seismic imaging, and geological data analysis—to discuss mechanisms of cooperation to implement a project for preparing an integrated geological database covering the entire Egyptian territory.

During the meeting, Engineer Karim Badawi affirmed that Egypt’s mining sector has become the focus of increasing global attention, owing to the bold steps the state has taken in legislative and structural reforms. He pointed out that Egypt possesses supportive elements that place it among the most attractive countries for mining investments, including robust infrastructure, a fully integrated network of ports, airports, roads, and export terminals, in addition to the availability of energy sources thanks to the growth of local production and expanded imports when needed.

The Minister also noted that the updated legislative and regulatory framework for the sector has paved the way for qualitative decisions—most notably the transformation of the Egyptian Mineral Resources Authority into an independent economic entity with direct support from the political leadership, as well as the development of agreements in line with global investment-attractive standards. This has given the sector new momentum and unprecedented confidence from international investors.

In the context of the meeting, the Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources emphasized the utmost importance of aerial and seismic surveying as an essential tool for providing accurate and comprehensive data, which helps identify promising investment opportunities and discover new potential for mineral wealth deep within the deserts and mountain ranges. The Minister praised the international experiences presented by the participating companies, which reflected the latest global technological advances in exploration and geological data analysis.

Badawi also directed the need to develop a practical and integrated vision, including a timeline for the project’s implementation in short, medium, and long-term phases, as well as the preparation of a list of priority areas of economic importance for exploration. This will enhance the project’s success and provide a database that global investors can utilize.

The meeting was attended by the ministry’s leadership and affiliated agencies, including Engineer Salah Abdel Karim, CEO of the Egyptian General Petroleum Corporation, his deputies for agreements and exploration, Geologist Yasser Ramadan, Chairman of the Egyptian Mineral Resources Authority and Mining Industries, Dr. Mohamed El-Bagouri, supervisor of the Central Administration for Legal Affairs at the Ministry, Major General Pilot Ihab Abdel Maqsoud, Chairman of Petroleum Air Services (PAS), in addition to the Mineral Resources Sector team at the Ministry.

With this step, Egypt affirms that it is on the threshold of a new era of exploration and exploitation of its mineral treasures, relying on a clear national vision, unprecedented political support, and international partnerships that strengthen its competitive capabilities on the global mining map.