The Saudi Geological Survey (SGS), a prominent governmental organization responsible for earth sciences, celebrated the occasion of the 89th Saudi National Day directly in the field where most of their work takes place. On Harrat Khaybar, the 14,000 sq km volcanic field north of Madinah, several SGS teams were dispatched to continue work on their assigned projects. A team gathered data on the site of Um Jarsan Cave. The 3 million year old lava tube is considered a geological landmark and a national treasure as the tallest cave in the Middle East, with a length of approximately 1,500 meters. Ali Al-Saeidi, the head of survey sector, employed an advanced laser scanner capable of capturing technologically advanced images. Scanning the cave enables SGS to draw the entire cave with 3D dimensions, providing critical data for both scholars and for future projects. Mahmoud Al-Shanti, the head of cave studies, noted that the work they do is in line with the ongoing transformation of the country. "Right here from the field and on this significant day we are proud to support our country's ambitious Vision in any way we can. Geo tourism supports the economic goals of our country and caves are a global tourist attraction," Al-Shanti said. Environmental Geology department's team geologist Haitham Brinji surveyed granitic rocks to determine the existence of promising sites for geothermal energy resources. This type of clean energy will help diversify energy resources through extracting thermal energy stored in granite rocks abundant in many areas in the Arabian Shield (which extends alongside the Red Sea and through the Western region of the Kingdom). Finally, and in support of the Kingdom's mining strategy, which aims to triple the country's contribution to the GDP from the mining industry by 2030, the exploration department is actively working to evaluate the occurrence of minerals in the country. This work is necessary to discover all the promising locations along the mineral rich Arabian Shield, with rocks aging back to 850 million years. Waseem Aldaheri, an exploration geologist, noted, "On this National Day, we are honored to be in a position to provide essential data which will serve the mission of our beloved country."
