Royal Road Minerals Ltd is shifting its focus to the Jabal Sahabiyah project in Saudi Arabia after relinquishing its rights to the Al Miyah area. This strategic move, made with joint-venture partner MIDU Company Ltd, received approval from Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources.
Jabal Sahabiyah covers nearly 284 square kilometers in Asir Province, comprising three exploration licenses granted after a competitive round in early 2024. Within this area, Royal Road has pinpointed promising sites like Jabal Muwayqirah and Hanash South, notable for copper, gold, zinc, and silver potential.
At Jabal Muwayqirah, geochemical and drone magnetic studies have highlighted a viable drill target. Surface samples revealed gold grades up to 7.5 grams per tonne and copper levels reaching 5%. The company plans further auger sampling and anticipates drilling to commence in early 2025.
For the Hanash South prospect, historical work by Riofinex identified mineralized gossans over a 1.6-kilometer stretch. Surveys indicated sulphide-rich zones, leading to significant copper and zinc finds. Royal Road is enhancing exploration here with modern analytical techniques to validate the site’s potential.
CEO Tim Coughlin stated that systematic exploration at Jabal Sahabiyah is uncovering significant local and district-scale potential. At Jabal Muwayqirah, advanced geochemical sampling has improved gold assessments, raising copper equivalent grades to 16.5%.
Coughlin emphasized the importance of testing under transported cover and within wadis for identifying mineralization. He noted several instances of gossan occurrences along wadi banks or as sub crop within the wadi. At Hanash South, drill holes were previously located within the wadi, while at Jabal Muwayqirah, targets are identified as subtle auger anomalies beneath three meters of cover.
