The Future Minerals Forum (FMF) has launched the inaugural Future Minerals Barometer, a first-of-its-kind global tool designed to measure and track progress of critical mineral value chain development across supplier countries.
The Barometer was developed in partnership with global management consulting firm McKinsey & Company, as well as S&P Global Market Intelligence, Global AI, and GlobeScan.
It is designed to integrate stakeholder sentiment, data, market intelligence, and project-level evidence into a single authoritative platform to guide global decision making.
The Barometer offers a snapshot of how capital, risk, and confidence are shaping global critical minerals markets. Data reveals where investment is concentrating, where it is retreating, and the widening gap between mineral endowment and capital allocation. Against this baseline, the FMF Barometer will track shifts in risk perception, investment flows, and progress toward more resilient mineral value chains.
Saudi Arabia’s Vice Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources for Mining Affairs Khalid Al-Mudaifer highlights the significance of the Barometer, which “represents a landmark document for the minerals industry – a tool which highlights key trends and stakeholder sentiment, tracks progress on mineral supply and makes recommendations for action to ensure the sustainable development of critical minerals value chains”.
The Barometer is supported by the Future Minerals Framework, developed since 2023 by the Future Minerals Forum with input from more than 130 experts from more than 42 countries including governments, multilateral organizations, NGOs, and minerals companies.
The Framework identifies key enablers to unlock the potential of end-to-end mineral value chains:
- Policy and Regulations: Establish stable policies to support mineral value chain development.
- Financing: Secure and manage significant investments through innovative financing solutions.
- Infrastructure: Build multi-modal infrastructure encompassing roads, railways, and ports to lower costs for individual assets and improve the feasibility of mining projects through shared infrastructure.
- Sustainability: Develop strong environmental and social governance frameworks
- Talent: Invest in education, develop local training programs, and foster research and development.
- Technology: Upgrade geological data systems and partner with global experts to access technologies that boost operational efficiency.
- Geology: Develop geological data capacity in supplier countries, recognizing that accessible and reliable geological data is essential to attracting investment.
The Framework outlines a blueprint for creating resilient and responsible mineral value chains spanning exploration and mining through logistics, processing, and advanced manufacturing. Each step is to be bolstered by coordinated action among governments, industry, and communities.
FMF26 is being held from 13-15 January. Mining.com.au has a team on the floor at the event at the King Abdulaziz International Conference Centre in Riyadh and is also an official media partner.
The Future Minerals Forum was launched in 2022 and is a global platform for the minerals industry. With 20,000 participants from 165 countries, including 100 government representatives, FMF serves as a catalyst for global collaboration.
Write to Adam Orlando at Mining.com.au
Images: FMF26
