It’s a new era, with a new star rising in the East and the old empire in decay. There are tariff wars, regime changes in Venezuela and Iran, NATO on the brink of collapse, winter wars with Russia, and many more geopolitical stressors.
The mineral and mining industry, like many of its peers, is navigating complex waters. The landscape is changing, and severe limitations on manufacturing and infrastructure development make it tricky for companies to procure dependable investment, financing, and implementation of cutting-edge technologies.
Everything is a little uncertain for big mining corporations these days, and they have lost investor confidence, and capital flows are trickling out. As a result, supply chain vulnerabilities and trade disruptions have become more noticeable, particularly in crucial minerals required for advanced high-tech applications, electronics, and electric vehicles.
Regulatory uncertainty, geopolitical conflicts, changing environmental, social, and governance standards, and the naturally lengthy lead times of mining projects all contribute to investor anxiety.
Since 1997, Saudi Arabia has adopted a methodical approach to developing its mineral resources in response to these global challenges. The Kingdom has developed a national policy to modernise and grow its mining industry over the past few decades.
This trend quickened with the introduction of “Vision 2030,” which established mining as a key component of economic diversification and sustainable growth. This change is supported by three strategic pillars: discovering high-potential investment opportunities, conducting comprehensive geological studies to identify viable mining sites, and creating incentives to attract foreign investment.
Saudi Arabia, traditionally recognised for its hydrocarbon wealth, is rapidly emerging as a significant player in the mining sector.
The Kingdom holds an estimated USD 2.5 trillion worth of unexplored mineral resources, including industrial minerals, basic metals, rare earth elements, and precious metals. Saudi Arabia is well-positioned to be a key player in global supply chains for innovative manufacturing and mining thanks to its enormous endowment.
The momentum of the sector is quantifiable. Not too long ago, Saudi Arabia was in 104th position in the Fraser Institute’s “Global Mining Investment Attractiveness Rankings.” Now, it has surged past the competition to the 23rd spot through several institutional and regulatory changes, demonstrating strong investor confidence in the Kingdom’s legal, regulatory, and commercial environment. The Gulf nation under Muhammad Bin Salman is aggressively spending on exploration, which has bolstered financial inflows into mining operations.
Geological research is making significant strides. The Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources has completed 30% of the geological survey of the Arabian Shield, which covers around 700,000 square kilometres. The National Geological Database will make the nearly 10 terabytes of data from these surveys publicly accessible, serving as a vital stimulant for both domestic and foreign investment.
These initiatives strengthen the Kingdom’s goal to establish mining as a third pillar of national industry, aligning with the goals of the “Mining Investment Law,” the “Comprehensive Mining and Minerals Industries Strategy,” and the “National Industrial Development and Logistics Programme.”
The fifth edition of the Future Minerals Forum 2026, themed “Dawn of Global Cause,” took place in Riyadh against a strategic and dynamic backdrop. The event aimed to foster cooperation, creativity, and practical solutions by bringing together policymakers, business leaders, investors, and thought leaders. They engaged in discussions about the opportunities and challenges shaping the future of minerals on a global scale.
Saudi Arabia is building an integrated ecosystem that links mining to the aerospace, automotive, and renewable energy sectors. By investing in domestic processing plants and smelting facilities, the Kingdom aims to capture the entire value chain.
For example, there is a focus on copper and lithium to fuel the Lucid Motors and CEER electric vehicle plants already established in the country. This “mine-to-motor” strategy mitigates global supply chain risks and creates a closed-loop economy. Furthermore, by leveraging its massive solar potential to power these energy-intensive mining operations, Saudi Arabia can offer “Green Minerals,” satisfying the strict ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) requirements of modern Western investors.
The desert Kingdom is also positioning itself as the central convener for a vast, mineral-rich “Super Region” stretching from Africa through the Middle East and into Central Asia. By hosting the “Future Minerals Forum,” the Kingdom is promoting its USD 2.5 trillion reserves and positioning Riyadh as the financial and diplomatic clearinghouse for the Global South’s mineral wealth.
It’s a smart move in the great game played by great powers. Saudi Arabia is opening up a third way for middle powers amidst intense competition between the West and the United States of America. It is slowly projecting itself as a well-capitalised partner capable of de-risking projects in frontier markets.
The Saudis provide the infrastructure, investment capital, and a stable regulatory blueprint for a new “Silk Road of Minerals” and are transforming the Kingdom from a regional player into a global arbiter of resource security, ensuring that the critical minerals needed for the world’s energy transition flow through a Saudi-influenced corridor. Adding this angle highlights that the “Grand Pivot” is as much about global soft power as it is about domestic geology.
Nine focused programme streams are included in FMF 2026 to promote discussion, investigate new prospects, and expedite action throughout the mining value chain. The Forum is an example of a cohesive, solutions-driven discussion on how mining can support sustainable global development, with participation from more than 100 government leaders, more than 70 international organisations, NGOs, and industry groups, as well as CEOs of top mining corporations.
The Saudis are well-positioned for a takeover of the mining sector and to monopolise it, or at least have a high stake in it, as they did with oil. There are obstacles along the way, but the nation continues to overcome them as part of its “Vision 2030.”