Riyadh – October 05, 2026 -- Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources has confirmed the sixth edition of the Future Minerals Forum (FMF) will run from 12–14 January 2027 in Riyadh under the theme "Global Collaboration for Resilient Mineral Supply."
Fifth edition drew 21,500 participants and $26.7 billion in deals
The January 2026 edition attracted government representatives from 91 countries and more than 64 governmental and non-governmental organizations, alongside 21,500 participants from 175 countries. That edition produced 132 agreements and MoUs valued at more than USD26.7 billion (SAR100 billion). Across five editions, FMF has now generated 398 agreements and MoUs worth over USD75.2 billion (SAR282 billion).
FMF 2027 targets financing gaps and faster project timelines
The 2027 program will prioritize mobilizing finance, accelerating project development and shortening time to production, aiming to expand mineral supply and value chains in Saudi Arabia and in emerging supplier regions, including a "Super Region" spanning Africa, West and Central Asia, and Latin America. The agenda centers on a government-led Ministerial Roundtable bringing together governments, industry leaders, multilateral organizations, and financial and academic institutions. Expanded "Gateway to Funding" sessions will link investors to scalable projects, while "State of the Sector" sessions—building on the Future Minerals Barometer—will deliver commodity outlooks and market insight. Leadership Roundtables and Knowledge Exchange meetings will address supply-chain resilience.
Saudi exploration spending jumped nearly sevenfold since 2020
Saudi Arabia's exploration expenditure rose from USD54.7 million (SAR205 million) in 2020 to USD362.7 million (SAR1.36 billion) in 2025. The number of active exploration companies in the Kingdom grew from six to 191 over the same period.
Jabal Sayid project reveals 114 million tons of rare earth ore
Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Minister of Energy and Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources, recently announced that studies at the Jabal Sayid Rare Earth Elements Project in the Madinah Region had identified estimated resources of 114 million tons of ore with high concentrations of rare earth elements, particularly heavy rare earth elements.
Forum advances Kingdom's Comprehensive Mining and Mineral Industries Strategy
FMF2027 will issue a global call to diversify mineral supply, build mining capabilities and strengthen a more resilient minerals ecosystem, in line with the Comprehensive Mining and Mineral Industries Strategy.