Saudi Arabia is set to host the fourth edition of Future Minerals Forum (FMF) under the Patronage of King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud.
The forum will be held from January 14 to 16, 2025, at the King Abdulaziz International Conference Center in Riyadh. The FMF, organized by the Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources, is a unique government-led platform and an inclusive multi-stakeholder conference that brings together decision makers from around the world.
The event will highlight the crucial role of minerals in development, global prosperity, and the energy transition. Since 2022, FMF has focused on strengthening collaboration amongst minerals-producing nations and promoting sustainability initiatives.
FMF 2025 will revolve around the theme “Delivering Impact”. Bandar Alkhorayef stated that the upcoming FMF will center on creating and driving investment opportunities in the mining and mineral sector. From governments to academic institutions, the conference provides a platform for all stakeholders in the sector to explore challenges and ways to tackle them.
Bandar Alkhorayef Minister of Industry & Mineral Resources Saudi Arabia
“The upcoming Ministerial Roundtable will engage participation from 100 countries. This extensive collaboration will include working groups comprising government bodies and 40 organizations, including international organizations, NGOs and trade associations. These groups will collaborate to implement the initiatives and strategies established during the last MRT, driving forward the shared goals of sustainable development and innovation in the global mineral sector.”
The forum will kick off with the government-led Ministerial Roundtable, which will be followed by the Conference and Exhibition. The fourth edition will focus on new voices on critical minerals, downstream perspectives and new regional perspectives, including the Super Region spanning Africa, Western and Central Asia, and Latin America; investment partnerships in supplier countries, minerals’ contribution to society; green technology and AI revolution; and country and project showcase.
Some notable figures who are expected to speak at the forum include Tom Palmer, CEO of Newmont Corporation, the world’s largest gold mining company; Jonathan Price, president and CEO of Teck Resources, one of Canada’s leading mining companies; Dominic Barton, chairman of Rio Tinto, one of the world’s largest mining companies; Mark Cutifani, chairman of Vale Base Metals; Robert Friedland, founder and co-CEO of Ivanhoe Mines; Bob Wilt, CEO of Maaden; Jeremy Weir, chairman and CEO of Trafigura; Duncan Wanblad, CEO of Anglo American; and Rohitesh Dhawan, CEO of the International Council on Mining and Metals, among other distinguished personalities.
Since its establishment in 2022, FMF has pioneered many progressive initiatives, such as being a voice for the Super Region and other supplier countries. The third edition of FMF gathered more than 14,000 participants from 133 countries, including ministers, senior government officials, leaders of international organizations, and C-level executives from global mining and mineral companies. The forum also witnessed the signing of 75 minerals deals worth around SAR75 billion ($20 billion).
