May 10, 2025 – Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Dr. Saleh Al-Kharabsheh conducted an inspection visit today (Saturday) to the manganese exploration project in the Wadi Um Ghadha area, located in Wadi Araba in southern Jordan.

During the visit, Minister Al-Kharabsheh emphasized the importance of the project in exploring manganese ores, in line with rising global demand for a range of strategic minerals. Manganese is considered one of the critical elements globally, with key applications in steel manufacturing, energy storage batteries, and both metallurgical and medical industries.

He noted that launching such projects falls within the ministry’s strategy to revitalize the mining sector, aiming to increase its contribution to GDP, expand job opportunities, and improve living standards in local communities.

Al-Kharabsheh explained that the project, which began earlier this year and will continue through the end of 2025, is currently in its first phase. This phase involves mineralogical studies and microscopic imaging to assess the quality of manganese ore and associated elements.

Preliminary findings revealed manganese concentrations ranging from 30% to over 55% within a layer of arkosic sandstone in Wadi Um Ghadha, located approximately 100 km north of Aqaba. The project targets an area of around 15 square kilometers to identify the highest-purity manganese and nickel mineralizations. Prospecting drilling is underway across the area, with several rock samples already collected. A plan to drill multiple boreholes—each exceeding 50 meters in depth—is currently being implemented and will be completed before year-end.

For his part, Hisham Al-Zayood, Director of Geology and Mining at the Ministry, stated that the Ministry is currently conducting several geochemical survey projects in the Wadi Shbeika (Quwara) area, in addition to exploration activities in Wadi Um Ghadha. Other initiatives include silica upgrading projects in Dabbat Hanout and basalt resource evaluations in the northeastern region of the Kingdom.

Al-Zayood added that initial analysis of manganese samples also revealed associated nickel concentrations exceeding 2,000 ppm, along with indicators of barium and copper concentrations exceeding 5,000 ppm.

Minister Al-Kharabsheh was accompanied on his inspection visit by Hisham Al-Zayood, Manager of the Geology and Mining Directorate; Geologist Moatasem Al-Hawamdeh, Head of the Prospecting Studies division; Eng. Mohammad Abu Keshk, Head of the Auto Drilling division; as well as a team of geologists from the Ministry.