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Saudi Arabia Unveils $100 Billion Mining Investment To Boost Critical Mineral Production

by THEFUTURE.TEAM

January 16, 2025

At the Future Minerals Forum in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia unveiled an ambitious $100 billion investment aimed at transforming the global mining industry. The kingdom is positioning itself as a key player in the supply of critical minerals essential for energy transition technologies, including lithium, copper, gold, and rare earth elements. This strategic push is part of Saudi Arabia’s broader plan to diversify its economy and reduce dependence on oil.

Khalid al-Mudaifer, Deputy Minister of Mining Affairs, revealed that $20 billion of the planned investment is already advancing through its final engineering phase or is under construction. While details on the full scope of the project remain limited, the focus is on boosting exploration for key minerals such as lithium, copper, zinc, and nickel.

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Earlier in 2024, the Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources updated its estimate of the value of untapped mineral resources, increasing the figure from $1.3 trillion to $2.5 trillion. This upward revision is largely driven by recent discoveries of these critical resources. In conjunction with this, the Saudi government launched a $182 million incentive program to further encourage mineral exploration and development.

Strategic Partnerships And New Discoveries

Saudi oil giant Aramco has partnered with state-owned mining company Ma’aden to jointly explore and extract minerals essential for the energy transition. Aramco’s collaboration extends to lithium exploration, with the company identifying promising lithium concentrations in its operating regions.

Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman highlighted that Aramco’s involvement in mining, particularly lithium extraction, marks a departure from previous assumptions about the company’s focus. “Aramco can be a diversified company, and its mandate has no limits,” said bin Salman, underscoring the kingdom’s forward-thinking approach.

A key player in this strategy is Manara, a joint venture between Ma’aden and the Public Investment Fund (PIF), designed to invest in mining assets globally and strengthen sustainable supply chains. The venture aims to diversify Saudi Arabia’s mining operations and ensure access to the resources necessary for a successful energy transition.

Ambitious Timeline And Market Impact

The kingdom anticipates lithium production could commence as soon as 2027, with collaborations expected to accelerate the process. Lithium, a crucial component for electric vehicle batteries, is in high demand, and Saudi Arabia aims to become a central hub for processing critical minerals, competing with China, which currently dominates two-thirds of the lithium processing market.

In a breakthrough, Saudi Arabia recently confirmed the successful extraction of lithium from brine samples in Aramco’s oil fields. A joint venture with Ma’aden and local lithium extraction startup, Lithium Infinity, is now working on launching a commercial pilot program for direct extraction.

This bold move signals Saudi Arabia’s determination to play a pivotal role in the future of global mining, tapping into resources that will fuel both its economy and the world’s transition to cleaner energy technologies.

Europe’s Tech Leaders Demand Radical Shift Toward Digital Sovereignty

by THEFUTURE.TEAM

March 17, 2025

A coalition of Europe’s top tech firms and industry groups is urging EU policymakers to take decisive action to reduce reliance on foreign digital infrastructure. In an open letter to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and digital chief Henna Virkkunen, over 80 signatories, representing around 100 organizations, call for a bold strategy to foster homegrown digital solutions—from AI and cloud platforms to chips and telecom networks.

A Call For Digital Independence

The letter underscores the need to prioritize European-built alternatives with strong commercial viability. Signatories include industry heavyweights from cloud computing, telecom, defense, and startup ecosystems, all pushing for a shift towards “sovereign digital infrastructure.”

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The push for what some call a “Euro Stack” isn’t new, but geopolitical tensions have heightened urgency. A January report by competition economist Cristina Caffarra outlined the strategy in-depth, and recent industry conferences have seen growing momentum behind the idea.

The turning point? The Munich Security Conference, where U.S. Vice President JD Vance sent a clear message: America’s interests come first. European leaders left the event with no illusions about the fragility of the transatlantic digital alliance. The specter of a U.S. executive order cutting off essential tech services has made European autonomy a pressing issue.

“Imagine Europe without access to search engines, email, or cloud computing. It sounds dystopian, but it’s a real risk,” warns Wolfgang Oels, COO of Ecosia, a Berlin-based search engine and one of the letter’s signatories. “Something similar already happened to Ukraine.”

The “Buy European” Mandate

The coalition’s demands are clear: EU institutions must lead by example, adopting procurement policies that prioritize European-made tech. The goal isn’t exclusionary but rather to create a level playing field where European firms can compete and justify investment.

“Americans buy American, the Chinese buy Chinese, but Europe acts as if neutrality is a virtue,” says Caffarra. “It’s time for a change.”

The letter suggests offering incentives for businesses to switch to local providers—potentially through subsidies or voucher programs. The idea is to make European alternatives competitive, not by shutting out foreign tech, but by ensuring that European firms have a viable market.

Scaling Up Through Collaboration

Beyond funding, the coalition urges the EU to encourage a “pooling and federating” model to help European tech companies scale. This includes common standards, interoperability initiatives, and aggregation of existing assets to strengthen Europe’s position against U.S. cloud giants.

Past initiatives, like the Gaia-X cloud project, failed due to the involvement of American hyperscalers, which diluted its sovereignty ambitions. The new approach seeks to prevent similar missteps.

A Sovereign Infrastructure Fund

To support capital-intensive tech sectors like semiconductors and quantum computing, the letter calls for the creation of a “Sovereign Infrastructure Fund.” Caffarra argues that even modest funding could significantly boost open-source projects and strategic infrastructure.

“Europe’s open-source community is vast and capable. A targeted investment strategy could yield substantial returns,” she says.

Rethinking Europe’s Digital Strategy

Despite past rhetoric on digital sovereignty, the EU’s current approach has been fragmented and ineffective, the coalition argues. Too much funding flows into academic research rather than tangible, market-driven solutions. The signatories push for a more industry-led approach, where funding is directed toward scalable, commercially viable projects.

“Europe can no longer afford to be reactive,” Caffarra asserts. “We need a proactive, industrial strategy that puts digital sovereignty at the heart of economic policy.”

As global competition intensifies and geopolitical risks mount, the message from Europe’s tech leaders is unmistakable: The EU must act decisively, or risk losing control of its digital future.