This week, the Future Minerals Forum in Riyadh brings together global leaders to shape the next chapter of the minerals and mining industry. The event underscores Saudi Arabia’s accelerating transformation into a global mining hub under Vision 2030, a shift that is no longer aspirational but policy-backed and rapidly materialising.
The Kingdom’s strategy signals a new era of cross-border collaboration, accelerated project development, and responsible mining practices. With demand for critical minerals surging worldwide, Saudi Arabia is positioning itself at the centre of this growth, driving large-scale exploration, feasibility studies and project mobilisation.
The 2026 conference follows a year of tremendous progress in Saudi Arabia’s minerals ambition. Landmark agreements, including a memorandum of cooperation between the Kingdom’s Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources and the U.S. Department of Energy, signal a shift in the global minerals landscape with direct implications for the industry. These developments reinforce Saudi Arabia’s role in shaping the future of mining and highlight the need for delivery partners to prepare for new markets, deeper partnerships, and higher expectations for execution excellence.
Saudi Arabia’s intent to transform itself into a global hub for mining under Vision 2030 is no longer just an aspiration; rather, it’s becoming a policy-backed reality. With the U.S. now formally engaged in that vision, we can expect a surge in exploration, feasibility studies, and project mobilisation. From a delivery lens, this shift presents both a challenge and a tremendous opportunity. How do we scale delivery capacity, apply global best practices, and integrate sustainability and digital innovation in environments that are rapidly evolving? Beyond this, there is the undeniable skills gap, which must be addressed to scale mining activity in the region. Pulling in global expertise in the region will be essential in supporting the Saudi workforce to rapidly upskill in this sector.
Where do engineering and consultancy firms fit in? Right at the centre.
Our role in shaping the physical and operational infrastructure of these projects means we are uniquely placed to translate policy into tangible outcomes. But this requires adaptive contracting models, region-specific execution strategies and deep integration with both local stakeholders and international standards.
Additionally, as this bilateral cooperation unfolds, the expectation for responsible mining will only grow. Environmental, social and governance (ESG), supply chain transparency and community engagement can no longer be afterthoughts; they must be engineered into every phase of the project lifecycle. For Engineering, Procurement, Construction Management (EPCM) providers, this is a chance to lead by example and help define what modern, ethical mineral development looks like.
As discussions at the Future Minerals Forum are likely to make clear, continued cross-border collaboration will be essential to continue the Kingdom’s upward trajectory in this market space. At Wood, we are looking forward to seeing how the conversations this week will shape the industry throughout the following year and the role that we will play in supporting this.