Riyadh (GNP): Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources will organise the sixth edition of the Future Minerals Forum (FMF) in Riyadh from January 12 to 14, 2027. The global platform for shaping the future of minerals will be held under the patronage of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud. The 2027 edition carries the theme “Global Collaboration for Resilient Mineral Supply.”
The new edition builds on five previous editions that have supported global dialogue and collaboration across the mining and minerals sector. The fifth edition, held in January 2026, drew senior government representatives from 91 countries and more than 64 governmental and non-governmental organisations. It also welcomed more than 21,500 participants from 175 countries.
That edition produced concrete commercial results as well. A total of 132 agreements and memorandums of understanding (MoUs) were signed, worth more than $26.7 billion (SAR100 billion). Across all five editions, the cumulative total announced now stands at 398 agreements and MoUs valued at over $75.2 billion (SAR282 billion).
Against that record, the sixth edition will concentrate on mobilising finance, accelerating project development and shortening the time needed to bring projects into production. The aim is to increase mineral supply and speed up value chains within Saudi Arabia and across emerging supplier regions, including the Super Region spanning Africa, West and Central Asia, and Latin America.
To drive that agenda, the forum will be headlined by a government-led Ministerial Roundtable. It will bring together senior government representatives, industry leaders, multilateral organisations, academic and financial institutions, and stakeholders from across the mineral value chain. Their task is to build collective action on the future of minerals.
Funding will sit alongside policy at the event. ‘Gateway to Funding’ activities will showcase investment opportunities in Saudi Arabia and other regions, along with financing instruments and collaboration models. They will also connect investors with high-quality projects.
‘State of the Sector’ sessions, an extension of the Future Minerals Barometer, will offer global commodity outlooks, market trends and strategic insights for governments, industry leaders and investors. Specialised Leadership Roundtables and Knowledge Exchange meetings will then examine regional challenges around mineral supply resilience and work on practical solutions to strengthen supply chains.
The forum has already helped move discussions on the future of minerals from ambition and consensus to partnerships, investment and projects. It has also presented Saudi Arabia’s mining and industrial opportunities to governments, investors and industry leaders, linking them with international capital, technology and expertise.
Over its first five editions, the forum has evolved alongside developments in the Kingdom’s mining sector. These include wider mining opportunities through transparent tender licensing rounds and advanced projects across aluminium, iron and steel, titanium and other mineral industries. The Kingdom has also launched several programmes to support industrial and mining services, capacity building and innovation.
That progress has been matched by growth in exploration. Saudi Arabia’s total exploration expenditure rose from $54.7 million (SAR205 million) in 2020 to approximately $362.7 million (SAR1.36 billion) in 2025, a record high. Over the same period, the number of active exploration companies grew from six to 191.
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The Kingdom has also reported a notable discovery. Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Saudi Minister of Energy and Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources, recently announced the findings at the 70th General Conference of the International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna. He said exploration and geological studies at the Jabal Sayid Rare Earth Elements (REEs) Project in Madinah Region had revealed estimated resources of 114 million tons of ore. The ore contains high concentrations of rare earth elements, particularly heavy rare earth elements, along with promising concentrations of uranium.
The forum advances the objectives of the Comprehensive Mining and Mineral Industries Strategy, a Saudi initiative with a global vision. The strategy brings governments, the private sector, investors and technology providers together around implementable projects.
The sixth edition will make a global call to diversify mineral supply, develop mining capabilities and build a more resilient and reliable minerals ecosystem. The goal is a system capable of meeting future industrial and technological needs.
Managing Editor at Global News Pakistan (GNP), with a Bachelor's degree in International Relations from Riphah International University, graduated with a Gold Medal. Reach out at sabahtareengnp@gmail.com
