Trade policies, investment opportunities, labor trends, supply chain risks, and future developments across MENA mining.
HIGH IMPACT
U.S. and EU sanctions force rerouting of iron ore and steel exports through intermediary markets. China absorbs 25+ Mt/yr Iranian iron ore.
OPPORTUNITY
50-year licenses, 5% royalty, full foreign ownership. $35B+ in licenses issued since 2020.
REGULATORY
From 2026, carbon costs on imports. Gulf producers investing in low-carbon production for €5B+ European market access.
MEGA PROJECT
Vision 2030 targets $75B mining GDP by 2035. Ma'aden phosphate expansion ($8B), copper/zinc ($3B), rare earths ($2.5B).
LNG
World's largest single LNG investment. Adding 48 MTPA. Partners: TotalEnergies, Shell, ExxonMobil.
RECORD
Saudi $1.2B, Iran $500M, Oman $350M, UAE $200M, Iraq $150M. Up 40% from 2020.
TRANSFORMATIVE
NEOM ($8.5B), Oman HYDROM ($33B), UAE H2 Hub ($15B). EGA, Emirates Steel, Jindal early adopters.
EMERGING
Saudi identified 6 REE deposits. Oman explores lithium in brines. Positioning for EV/battery supply chain by 2030.
TECHNOLOGY
Ma'aden autonomous trucks, EGA AI potline optimization, Gol-e-Gohar fleet AI. 50%+ Gulf mining semi-autonomous by 2030.