Egypt’s Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources signed a contract on Sunday, 24 May, to launch a comprehensive aerial geophysical survey of the country’s mineral resources, according to a ministry statement.
The agreement was signed between the Egyptian Mineral Resources Authority and Spanish geodata and aerial surveying company Xcalibur, in cooperation with the Nuclear Materials Authority and Egyptian drone services company DroneTech.
According to the ministry, the project marks Egypt’s first comprehensive aerial mining survey in 42 years and is aimed at creating a modern database of the country’s mineral resources to support exploration and attract investment in the mining sector.
The contract signing took place at Marsa Alam International Airport, where a specialised aircraft equipped with geophysical survey technology was presented ahead of the start of operations.
Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources Karim Badawi said the survey would help reduce exploration costs and risks by providing updated geological data for local and international investors.
The survey is expected to cover six regions across Egypt, including parts of the Eastern Desert, the Western Desert, Sinai Peninsula, Bahariya Oasis, and the Abu Tartour area in the New Valley Governorate.
Officials said the project forms part of broader efforts to expand Egypt’s mining sector and increase its contribution to the national economy. Egypt has in recent years pushed to attract more foreign investment into mining, particularly in gold, phosphate, and rare mineral exploration.
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