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May 8, 2024 - Today, Wednesday, the Chairman of the Energy and Minerals Regulatory Authority, Engineer Ziad Al-Saaida, concluded the work of the workshop “The Reality and Prospects of Minerals Used in Clean Energy Technologies” by handing over certificates to the main speakers participating during the activities and sessions of the workshop, which began its work yesterday with wide Arab participation, and with a tripartite organization. From the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, the Energy and Minerals Regulatory Authority, and the Arab Organization for Industrial Development, Standardization and Mining. The activities of the second day of the workshop witnessed the holding of two dialogue sessions and three main sessions, and the production director at the Middle East Regional Development Company - the largest exporter of silica sand in Jordan - Dr. Hashem Al-Zoubi confirmed during his speech in the dialogue session that the company reached encouraging laboratory results for silica sand in Jordan to move to... Using it as a new input into renewable energy technologies. Al-Zoubi added that Jordan has large and distinctive quantities of silica ore, which is characterized by high purity and contains multiple granular sizes with an average of 16 types, noting that the raw material is used in the manufacture of transparent glass containers, flat glass in windows and cars, fiberglass, quartz powder, and marble. Industrial, silicon carbide. Al-Zoubi called on the Jordanian government to find a special port to export silica ore, and to ensure the quality and purity of Jordanian crude exported abroad, in order to maintain the good reputation of the ore in global markets. For his part, the Director of the Minerals Development and Processing Center at the Saudi Geological Survey, Engineer Nader bin Sajid Iskandar, gave an explanation about the substance “quartz” in Saudi Arabia, stressing that it exists in the form of large crystals in the sites of deposits of cracks and mineral rocks, and in crystallized igneous rock, pointing out the presence of a center Specialized in Saudi Arabia for processing minerals with the aim of reaching the highest level of purity and concentration. For his part, the Director of Mineral Research at the National Office for Hydrocarbons and Minerals in the Kingdom of Morocco, Engineer Othman Sidqi, said that his country possesses promising mineral potential, great experience and a skilled work force, and its mining history is long and has a diverse geological structure, and is known for its richness in mineral materials. Sedqi enumerated the most prominent minerals extracted from Moroccan lands, such as lead, zinc, copper, silver, gold, barite, in addition to phosphate, in addition to drawing plans for extracting precious metals, most notably uranium, rare earth elements, industrial minerals and rocks, natural hydrogen, helium, and others. He concluded that Morocco is one of the few countries that consider potassium a strategic and critical material, because of the major role it plays, along with phosphate in the fertilizer industry, and one of the pillars of the Moroccan economy. During a working paper presented by the first geologist at the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure in the UAE, Hazza Salem Al Ketbi, he explained that geology in the UAE is divided into 4 regions represented by dunes, island regions, mountains, and the brink of mountains. Al Ketbi confirmed that the UAE ranks second in the world in completing geological survey maps, which cover all regions of the country, adding that comprehensive geological studies are being conducted that contain detailed reports on all mineral exploration sites. Al Ketbi concluded that the UAE’s goal is to encourage mining industries and proceed with the UAE Energy Strategy 2020-2050, in addition to creating a balance between production and consumption and reaching carbon neutrality in 2050. In addition, the Project Manager at the Turkish Solvest Company in Jordan, Engineer Matouk Al-Asmar, provided an explanation of the exploratory work completed for copper ore in the Wadi Araba region, explaining that geological surveys, detailed structural studies, and geological and mining maps were prepared, and potential targets were identified and confirmed in field, in addition to completing the process of taking surface samples, digging trenches, deep holes, and core wells. Al-Asmar added, work is underway on various projects and plans aimed at making Jordan a regional center for clean energy industries, noting that there are several exploratory sites in the Wadi Araba region, such as Fifa, Faynan, Umm Al-Amad, and Abu Khashiba, which have great potential and hopeful results. He stressed that there are efforts to establish an industrial city north of Aqaba Governorate that enjoys the exemptions and benefits of private free zones, in addition to establishing manufacturing industries for copper sheets extracted from exploration sites. Al-Asmar concluded by mentioning the economic advantages of establishing manufacturing industries, the most important of which are creating and developing new specializations in universities and the Jordanian labor market, providing thousands of job opportunities for all segments of expertise, economic diversification, increasing exports, and supporting innovation and technological development. During the second dialogue session of the workshop entitled “The United Nations Framework on Fair Transitions for Minerals Critical to the Energy Transition for Sustainable Development,” Razia Sadawi, Head of the Energy Section at the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA), gave an explanation about critical minerals. And used in the energy transition, and the risks of supply and demand at the global level. Sedwai added that investment in mining has increased by 30% for the year, and it is expected that more than $1.7 trillion will be needed between 2020 and 2035. The average global time limit for discovering and developing mining projects is more than 16 years, noting the need to achieve balance and take Taking into account the preservation of natural and environmental resources in light of research and exploration for minerals, it reviewed the distribution ratios of the production of some minerals according to governance performance and their impact on environmental emissions. She reviewed the challenges facing the Arab region in achieving economic sustainability and reliance on extractive industries represented by their lack of economic diversification, distorted energy prices, lack of geological information and advanced techniques for identifying mineral resources, absence of long-term planning and coordination between sectors, and lack of social and environmental investment and regulatory frameworks and laws appropriate for investment. Weak governance and lack of financial and administrative transparency, appreciating the necessity of making efforts to achieve the goals of the seventh goal of sustainable development. For his part, Director of the Directorate of Natural Resources Studies at the Ministry of Energy, Geologist Hisham Al-Zyoud, said that Jordan’s experience in the governance of mineral extraction is a pioneering experience, characterized by the development of laws and legislation and its constant review, referring to the recently announced National Mining Strategy 2033. Al-Zyoud stressed that the Jordanian government seeks to provide a safe environment for natural and human resources in addition to achieving financial returns, according to an integrated system, through the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources as a sector policy maker in the Kingdom, and the executive arm represented by the Energy and Minerals Regulatory Authority, indicating that this ensures Providing a safe environment for mineral extraction. He called for translating the workshop's work into steps on the ground, by providing a legislative umbrella that works to provide policies and laws that seek to extract minerals in a safe and secure way. Al-Zyoud said that community security in mining is achieved by controlling mining operations, to prevent unjust attacks on natural resources, as happens in some countries such as Sudan, stressing the importance of ensuring the mineral extraction chain in all its steps to achieve community security and regional security for the state. The fifth session of the workshop discussed the topic “Clean energy minerals in the Arab countries,” during which the Assistant General Director of Al-Zawraa General Company in the Ministry of Industry and Minerals in Iraq, Engineer Falih Mazhar, addressed the topic of minerals used in clean energy technologies and industry in the State of Iraq, pointing out the high purity of silica ore, which It reaches 99% in the Iraqi governorates of Najaf and Anbar, and this makes the crude suitable for investment in various industries. Mazhar confirmed that there is scientific evidence for the possibility of the presence of a very large reserve of copper ore in the Sulaymaniyah Governorate in northern Iraq. For his part, the Director of Geology and Mineral Upgrading at the Ministry of Petroleum, Mines and Energy in the Republic of Mauritania, Engineer Muammar Saleh, reviewed the capabilities and qualifications of strategic minerals used in the field of energy in his country, which possesses important raw materials such as copper, diamonds, quartz, and others, and reviewed the proven reserves of future minerals that are witnessing a rise in demand and use. In the manufacture of environmentally friendly transportation and energy storage tools such as lithium, ferrite, cobalt and nickel. Regarding renewable energy manufacturers in Jordan, the Director of the Energy and Environmental Sustainability Unit at the Jordan Chamber of Industry, Engineer Maan Ayasra, said that the tools used in energy in the industrial sector include photovoltaic solar cells, solar heaters, cables and wires, metal structures, and inverters. Ayasra highlighted the most prominent products of sector manufacturers, including aluminum cables for electricity distribution, lithium batteries, solar cell cleaning robots, grounding systems, lightning rods, and other products. The workshop sessions concluded with the sixth technical session, which dealt with clean energy technologies and sustainability, during which the Director of Design and Applications at Philadelphia Jordan Company, Muhammad Al-Zeitawi, spoke about renewable technologies and related raw materials used in photovoltaic technology, wind energy technology, and bioenergy and geothermal energy. Al-Zeitawi reviewed the most important pioneering technologies in lithium-ion batteries, pointing to the expected demand for metals used in electric vehicles and battery storage to achieve sustainable development from the perspective of the International Energy Agency for the year 2040. For her part, Dean of the College of Earth and Environmental Sciences at Al Al-Bayt University, Dr. Sanaa Al-Zyoud, spoke about geothermal energy in Jordan, and the country’s role in combating climate change and exploring sustainable solutions. Al-Zyoud stressed the importance of geothermal energy and its potential, and its role in reducing carbon emissions, diversifying energy sources, enhancing their security, and contributing to achieving sustainable development goals, noting that Jordan, by adopting sustainability solutions and promoting innovation, provides an inspiring example for others in achieving a balance between energy needs and environmental responsibility in the face of a crisis and the climate. Engineer Khalifa Muhammad from the Jordanian Standards Institution discussed the institution’s role in supporting clean energy horizons, developing and disseminating its technologies, setting unified technical standards and specifications, and the institution’s supervisory role in ensuring the application of these standards. In turn, Engineer Alaa Abu Kharma from the Jordan Chamber of Industry stressed the importance of energy efficiency and renewable energy as basic requirements in the industrial sector, “the third largest energy consumer,” for its role in reducing energy costs, increasing competitiveness, and reducing emissions to preserve the environment, reviewing solar photovoltaic energy projects and solar heating applications for purposes Industry. It is noteworthy that the second meeting of the Arab Committee for the Minerals Used in Clean Energy Initiative will be held tomorrow, Thursday, on the sidelines of the workshop, with the aim of coming up with realistic recommendations and ideas in an effort to develop the mining sector, stimulate it and encourage investment in it to occupy the desired position in achieving economic development.