Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources Karim Badawi attended on Sunday the initial signing of a contract to carry out Egypt’s first comprehensive geophysical aerial survey of mineral resources in over four decades.
The agreement was signed between the Egyptian Mineral Resources Authority and Span’s Excalibur company, in co-operation with the Nuclear Materials Authority and local firm Drone Tech.
The signing took place at Marsa Alam Airport, where a specialised aircraft equipped with advanced technology was presented ahead of the survey launch. The project is considered a strategic step to modernise Egypt’s mining sector, aiming to build a high-precision database of mineral deposits across the country.
The survey will reduce exploration costs and risks, while boosting investor confidence in Egypt’s mining industry, Minister Badawi explained.
He noted that transforming the Mineral Resources Authority into an independent economic entity, in response to directives by President Abdel Fattah El Sisi, enabled the launch of this national project.
The survey will cover six regions, including the Eastern Desert, Sinai, the Western Desert, Bahariya Oasis, and Abu Tartour in the New Valley.
Excalibur, which has completed more than 1,400 aerial survey projects worldwide, will use advanced aircraft and collaborate with Egyptian institutions to ensure accurate results.
This initiative is expected to open new investment opportunities and strengthen Egypt’s position as a regional hub for mining.
