Unlocking Saudi Arabia’s mineral wealth: Arabian Smart Mapping Company and Ma’aden set to redefine exploration standards

Through its recently created Saudi subsidiary, Xcalibur Smart Mapping, the world’s leading geophysical exploration company, will contract with Ma’aden, one of the Middle East’s largest multi-commodity mining and metals companies, to complete its most significant private-sector project to date. Focused on leveraging Xcalibur’s cutting-edge TEMPTEST system, the project will involve mapping an impressive 120,000 linear kilometers using the fixed-wing system and an additional 80,000 linear kilometers with the helicopter-borne Helitem system, totaling over 200,000 linear kilometers.

This monumental agreement marks a historic achievement for Xcalibur Smart Mapping. representing its largest contract with a private client to date.  In addition, this is a groundbreaking endeavor in terms of scale and total kilometers covered. As the leading fixed wing airborne electromagnetic system, TEMPEST is purpose built for regional geological and groundwater mapping, and discrete mineral target mapping.

Dario Castellanos, CEO of Arabian Smart Mapping Company, emphasized the significance of this partnership for Xcalibur, stating: “Working with Ma’aden is a milestone for our company. We anticipate that having a fully operational subsidiary in Saudi Arabia will enable Xcalibur to extend this alliance to other projects within and beyond the Kingdom, with success resonating beyond its borders.

This deployment of the TEMPEST system will ensure the efficient and timely completion of the project, while reducing operational risks, minimizing impact on local communities and significantly lowering project costs.

There are significant advantages of opting for the fixed-wing Tempest system where terrain allows, over a helicopter system, including:

• Logistical Efficiency: The use of a fixed-wing solution significantly enhances completion timeframes compared to relying solely on helicopter-borne solutions.
• Reduced Community Impact: Fixed-wing systems considerably lessen the impact on local communities.
• Additional Gravity Data Acquisition: TEMPEST fixed-wing technology enables the acquisition of the iCORUS-X scalar gravity system, providing a supplementary dataset that complements existing datasets.
• Commercial Considerations: The utilization of the TEMPEST system substantially reduces the commercial cost of the survey without compromising technical benefits.

Ma’aden is the largest multi-commodity mining and metals company in the Middle East and among the fastest-growing mining companies in the world. It is developing the mining industry into the third pillar of the Saudi economy in line with Vision 2030 and aims to be a role model in responsible and sustainable operations. Ma’aden operates 17 mines and sites, has 6,000+ direct employees and exports products to over 30 countries. Ma’aden is embarking on massive growth over the next 18 years across phosphate, aluminum, gold, copper and new minerals.

As Xcalibur Smart Mapping continues to pioneer advancements in geophysical exploration, this collaboration underscores its commitment to reshaping the future of mining and resource discovery.

Xcalibur Smart Mapping is the global leader in the airborne and mapping geophysics industry, providing comprehensive and sustainable solutions for mapping and assessing natural capital, renewable and non-renewable resources with +100 years of accumulated experience.

With over 1,400 executed projects and an astonishing total of more than 50 million linear kilometers flown, we have become global leaders across six continents. Our worldwide presence is underpinned by a fleet of more than 40 specialized aircraft owned by the group, all equipped with state-of-the-art geophysical systems. Our workforce, consisting of over 250 highly qualified employees, serves as the driving force behind our continuous innovation and industry success.

Our mission is to apply technology and smart data to discover natural capital responsibly, help stakeholders create opportuni ties for growth and integration, and protect biodiversity. All this with the firm purpose of accelerating a just energy transition for a more sustainable economy, making us the partner of reference in natural capital mapping.

To learn more visit www.xcaliburmp.com