RIYADH, Jan 14 (Reuters) - Saudi Arabian mining company

Manara Minerals could invest in Pakistan's Reko Diq mine in the

next two quarters, Pakistani Petroleum Minister Musadik Malik

said on Tuesday.

Manara, a joint venture between state-controlled miner

Ma'aden and the $925-billion Public Investment Fund

(PIF), was set up as part of the kingdom's efforts to diversify

its economy away from oil, including by buying minority stakes

in assets overseas.

"I'm very hopeful that in the next quarter or two we will

have very big announcements," Malik said on the sidelines of the

Future Minerals Forum in Riyadh, adding they would be

copper-related.

"So we're very hopeful that this year, we will make some big

announcements, both in the way of Reko Diq, but hopefully also"

in mines around it, he added.

Asked if Manara would be involved, Malik said, "why not, of

course."

Manara did not immediately respond to an emailed request for

comment.

Executives from Manara visited Pakistan in May last year for

talks about buying a stake in the Reko Diq mine, considered one

of the world's largest underdeveloped cooper-gold areas by

global mining company Barrick Gold ( GOLD ), which owns the

project jointly with Pakistan.

Manara's then-acting chief executive Robert Wilt, now CEO of

Ma'aden, told Reuters that a stake in Reko Diq was among several

opportunities the company was evaluating.

Pakistan is also in talks with other Gulf countries about

mining opportunities, Malik said.