Zirconium in Saudi Arabia

Zirconium in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, a rare and valuable metal, is used to clad nuclear reactor fuel rods, protecting them from the intense heat of nuclear reactions. The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources (currently known as the Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources) has undertaken a comprehensive project to produce this metal. This project's units are divided between Jazan Economic City and Yanbu Industrial City to ensure industrial integration.

Zirconium is primarily extracted from zircon minerals. Zircon is predominantly found in acidic igneous rocks such as granite and nepheline syenite, and sometimes in metamorphic rocks like gneiss and schist. In the Kingdom, zircon occurs in non-economic quantities associated with igneous intrusions in the Arabian Shield rocks. The main locations are al-Ghariyah, Umm al-Birk, Jabal Sayid, and Jabal al-Hamra. No economically viable placer deposits of heavy minerals containing zircon or beach sands have been discovered.

Zirconium is a metal characterized by its shiny gray color. It is a ductile and malleable element that is involved in the composition of many stable compounds. Zirconium is distinguished by its high resistance to corrosion.

It is also characterized by its high melting point at 2,300 °C, exceptional strength, and acid resistance.

In its metallic state, zirconium is used to clad nuclear reactor fuel rods, protecting them from the intense heat generated by nuclear reactions. Nuclear reactors consume approximately 90 percent of the world's annual zirconium production. Additionally, zirconium is used in various alloys, such as nickel-zirconium, which exhibits excellent resistance to acids, corrosion, and high strength. Zirconium metal is also employed in the manufacturing of armor, spacecraft, and missiles. Furthermore, zirconium oxide is used in the production of refractory bricks, ceramics, porcelain, paints, and abrasives. Transparent varieties of this mineral are used as gemstones.