A Global Platform for Decision-Making
In his speech during the conference’s opening, His Excellency affirmed the interest and commitment of the wise leadership —may God support them—in ensuring that the conference continues to play its pivotal role, noting that the conference has evolved from a mere platform for dialogue into a global platform for decision-making that influences policies and mobilizes investments, as embodied by this year’s conference theme: "Minerals: Meeting the Challenges of a New Era of Development."
He said: “The fifth edition represents a milestone in the conference’s journey, which has become a pivotal platform for shaping decisions and building partnerships across the entire mineral value chain, given that the major transformations the world is witnessing, including artificial intelligence applications and the energy transition, cannot be realized without securing minerals and their associated supply chains in a responsible and sustainable manner.”
Strengthening Mining Standards
His Excellency highlighted the outcomes of the Fifth International Ministerial Meeting, held as part of the conference with the participation of more than 100 countries and 59 international organizations, and the tangible progress witnessed, which included advancing the Centers of Excellence tracks, strengthening responsible mining standards, and aligning with the World Bank Group’s new minerals strategy; thereby supporting the transition from the dialogue phase to a phase of measurable implementation.
He affirmed that the Kingdom continues to play its role in enhancing the resilience of global mineral supplies, in line with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030, through a thriving, sustainable mining sector that attracts investment and supports economic diversification and job creation. He noted that through rounds of competitive bidding for exploration and mining licenses, the Kingdom has allocated more than 33,000 square kilometers to local and international companies, and that the ninth round alone saw the awarding of 172 mining sites to 24 companies, in the largest licensing round to date.
Strategic partnerships to support projects
The Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources noted the completion of geophysical and geochemical surveys of the Arabian Shield at a rate of (100%), and that spending on exploration has increased more than fivefold since 2020, from 1 million riyals to 1.052 billion riyals in 2024, emphasizing in this regard the Kingdom’s commitment to accelerating investment in its mineral potential, estimated at approximately 9.4 trillion riyals, by offering competitive exploration opportunities in 2026 and 2027.
His Excellency announced the launch of the Mining Infrastructure Empowerment Initiative in partnership with the Saudi Authority for Industrial Cities and Technology Zones "MODON," with its first project involving the construction of a 75-kilometer treated water pipeline to support development in the Jabal Sayed region and accelerate the implementation of mining projects. The launch of the fifth edition of the International Mining Conference coincides with the announcement of two new special funds designed to support opportunities across the Kingdom’s mining value chain, reflecting investor confidence and the clear maturity of the mining sector, These initiatives include forming strategic partnerships to support mining projects and mid-stream projects within the value chain, as well as launching a new investment fund to support mining and industrial opportunities.
On the research front, national research and development entities are entering into strategic agreements with international partners to promote innovation in the fields of exploration, processing, and digitalization, thereby supporting the enhancement of the mining sector’s efficiency and accelerating the adoption of advanced solutions. The conference program includes a wide range of events, such as the "Mining Investment Journey" and the “Financing Gateway” in partnership with the Bank of Montreal (BMO), MinGen workshops targeting youth and women in the mining sector, the MinValley innovation and technology platform, and the knowledge-sharing platform that brings together leading experts to discuss the latest developments in geology, technology, sustainability, and skills development.
