Saudi Arabia, US to discuss deal in mining, mineral resources, cabinet says

Saudi Arabia is set to discuss a potential agreement with the United States about cooperation in the fields of mining and mineral resources, the Saudi cabinet said in a statement reported by the country’s state news agency on Tuesday.

The statement did not provide the details of the “memorandum”, which it said would be negotiated by the Saudi Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources and the United States Department of Energy.

The statement comes ahead of a visit by U.S. President Donald Trump to Saudi Arabia next week. Saudi Arabia has been rapidly expanding its mining sector as part of its Vision 2030 economic diversification program, which aims to wean the economy off of oil, with gold, phosphate rock and bauxite its main resources.

The kingdom has also announced discoveries of extensive domestic resources and last year Saudi officials nearly doubled their estimate for the kingdom’s minerals reserves to $2.5 trillion, largely due to the addition of rare earths.

Reuters reported in April that Saudi Arabia’s flagship mining company Ma’aden is considering choosing at least one of four foreign firms, including a U.S. company, to form a rare earths processing partnership.

Ma’aden is weighing a partnership with U.S.-based MP Materials, China’s Shenghe Resources,  Australia’s Lynas Rare Earths , or Canada’s Neo Performance Materials, sources told Reuters.

Saudi Arabia has also grown its international mining presence, launching a joint venture between its sovereign wealth fund and Ma’aden, called Manara Minerals to invest in mining assets abroad.

Manara’s first major foray abroad was a deal to become a 10% shareholder in Vale’s (VALE3.SA), opens new tab $26 billion copper and nickel spin-off Vale Base Metals in 2023.