The fifth Ministerial Roundtable at the Future Minerals Forum (FMF) wrapped up in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia yesterday (13 January) with consensus that global collaboration in mining is no longer optional but an urgent necessity.
The Saudi Government used the Ministerial Roundtable to reiterate its focus on ensuring local value is maximised across multiple industries that will aid in long lasting value.
FMF is organised by Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources and is taking place from 13-15 January 2026. Mining.com.au has a team on the floor at the King Abdulaziz International Conference Centre and is also an official media partner.
The roundtable marks a milestone in global cooperation on minerals, reinforcing the shift toward more responsible, resilient, and sustainable mineral supply chains worldwide.
The Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources Bandar bin Ibrahim Al-Khorayef says the roundtable discussion is a defining moment for what has become the largest global ministerial gathering of its kind.
Al-Khorayef notes participation has expanded markedly since the launch of the Roundtable and FMF in 2022, from 32 governments to ministers and senior representatives from more than 100 countries, alongside almost 60 international organisations, including all G20 member states, supplier countries, and consumer nations. This broad participation reflects the growing recognition that mineral supply is a shared global responsibility requiring coordinated, inclusive solutions.
Meanwhile, Khalid bin Saleh Al-Mudaifer, Vice Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources for Mining Affairs, states the mining sector has entered a decisive phase globally. He stresses that global collaboration in mining is no longer optional, but an urgent necessity to accelerate mineral supply and ensure long-term sustainability, meeting the increasing demand for minerals critical to modern industries and emerging technologies.
Al-Mudaifer highlights progress achieved during 2025 across the three core initiatives of the Ministerial Roundtable. These include:
- advancing an international framework for critical minerals to strengthen cooperation on resilient supply chains, infrastructure, and policy alignment;
- developing a sustainability framework that reflects the priorities of producing countries, while enhancing transparency through traceability and certification systems; and
- establishing a Network of Centers of Excellence across the extended mining region spanning Africa, West and Central Asia, and Latin America to build technical, institutional, and human capacity.
The Future of Minerals Framework is a common theme among discussions this year as it outline principles, objectives, and proposed governance mechanisms. The framework provides an inclusive, multilateral process for producing, exporting, and consuming countries to align priorities, mobilise public and private investment, and develop mineral value chains, among other things.
Countries interested in being involved in the framework have the opportunity to comment on the draft until the end of March 2026, enabling the rapid activation of its governance arrangements. The Framework is the culmination of the FMF’s work since 2023.
World Bank Group Vice President for Infrastructure Valerie Levkoff has been outlining a new minerals strategy to support countries in developing minerals and their associated value chains, extending through regional processing and manufacturing, to create local value and employment opportunities.
The strategy, built around three pillars: policies, governance, and institutional capacity; core infrastructure; and private sector mobilization and innovation, was welcomed by participants as a critical partnership to unlock funding for infrastructure and strengthen global supply chain resilience.
Levkoff says progress is being made toward developing an international standard for responsible mining and supply chain transparency, including an agreement to launch a Copper Traceability Standard as an initial pilot.
Saudi Arabia’s leadership has been oraised in convening global dialogue on minerals through the Future Minerals Forum and its government-led Ministerial Roundtable, recognising both platforms as catalysts for shaping the sector and driving a new age of minerals for development.
The Future Minerals Forum launched in 2022 and is touted as the world’s premier platform for the minerals industry. With 18,000 participants from 165 countries, including 89 government representatives, FMF serves as a catalyst for global collaboration.
Write to Adam Orlando at Mining.com.au
Images: Mining.com.au
