Saudi Arabia seen to become leader in sustainable production of metals

Saudi Arabia seen to become leader in sustainable production of metals

Riyadh – Mubasher: International delegates and global mining investors were addressed how Saudi Arabia can become a global leader in the sustainable and innovative production of minerals and metals given that the energy transition from hydrocarbons to renewables is opening the path for it.

This vision is mainly considered as new and diverse untapped minerals super-region emerging, stretching from Africa to the Central Asian part, according to a press release.

During London’s Mines and Money Conference, Khalid Al Mudaifer, Saudi Arabia’s Vice-Minister for Mining Affairs of the Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources called for urgent investment in minerals and metals extraction as well as value chains in the Kingdom.

Al Mudaifer stated: “Decarbonisation – the net-zero transition – cannot happen without minerals and metals: a lot of minerals and metals.”

He elaborated: “We need to scale up discoveries and we need to scale up production. The World Bank says that by 2050 the production of minerals such as graphite, lithium, cobalt and copper needs to increase by nearly 500% to meet the future demand for clean energy technologies. To achieve a ‘below 2°C increase’ future, the bank estimated that more than 3 billion tons of minerals and metals are required.”

The World Bank’s expected