Saudi Arabia perfectly placed to ‘disrupt’ mining sector, says green energy investor

Joachim Berlenbach from the Earth Resource Investment Group (Screenshot)
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Updated 12 January 2022
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Saudi Arabia perfectly placed to ‘disrupt’ mining sector, says green energy investor

Saudi Arabia needs to act as a disrupter in mining technologies to help solve some of the biggest challenges facing the sector, according to the founder of a green-focused investment company. 

Joachim Berlenbach from the Earth Resource Investment Group told delegates at the Future Minerals Forum in Riyadh on Wednesday that the Kingdom can “start from scratch” when it comes to developing environmentally-responsible ways of excavating minerals and metals.

He also called on Saudi-based firms to take on some of the issues holding back renewable energy, namely how to store power captured through solar and other means.

Berlenbach said: “The energy for the mining industry, with those renewables, probably comes cheaply in Saudi Arabia but we need also to store energy. 

“Here is the importance of disruptive technology: how to supply energy through the night?

“This is what Saudi companies need to work on, how to supply energy at night. That could be through batteries, which requires vanadium.

“One of the biggest resources for vanadium is oil. Oil in refineries is polluting and poisoning for refineries but now you can actually explore that oil can actually help in energy from an ESG (environmental, social, and governance) point of view.”

The Future Minerals Forum is a special event bringing together ministers, organisations and mining leaders from more than 30 countries.

Hosted by the Saudi Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources, is aimed at highlighting the role of mining in Saudi Vision 2030, after the government identified it as the third pillar of the Kingdom’s economy.


New Murabba seeks contractors for Mukaab Towers fit-outs: MEED

Updated 28 January 2026
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New Murabba seeks contractors for Mukaab Towers fit-outs: MEED

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s New Murabba Development Co., a wholly owned subsidiary of the Public Investment Fund, has issued a request for information to gauge the market for modular and offsite fit-out solutions for its flagship Mukaab development, MEED reported on Wednesday.

The RFI was released on Jan. 26, with submissions due by Feb. 11. NMDC has also scheduled a market engagement meeting during the first week of February to discuss potential solutions with prospective contractors.

Sources close to the project told MEED that NMDC is “seeking experienced suppliers and contractors to advise on the feasibility, constraints, and execution strategy for using non-load-bearing modular systems for the four corner towers framing the Mukaab structure.” The feedback gathered from these discussions will be incorporated into later design and procurement decisions.

The four towers — two residential (North and South) and two mixed-use (East and West) — are integral to the Mukaab’s architectural layout. Each tower is expected to rise approximately 375 meters and span over 80 stories. Key modular elements under consideration include bathroom pods, kitchen pods, dressing room modules, panelized steel partition systems, and other offsite-manufactured fit-out solutions.

Early works on the Mukaab were completed last year, with NMDC preparing to award the estimated $1 billion contract for the main raft works. This was highlighted in a presentation by NMDC’s chief project delivery officer on Sept. 9, 2025, during the Future Projects Forum in Riyadh.

Earlier this month, US-based Parsons Corp. was awarded a contract by NMDC to provide design and construction technical support. Parsons will act as the lead design consultant for infrastructure, delivering services covering public buildings, infrastructure, landscaping, and the public realm at New Murabba. The firm will also support the development of the project’s downtown experience, which spans 14 million sq. meters of residential, workplace, and entertainment space.

The Parsons contract follows NMDC’s October 2025 agreements with three other US-based engineering firms for design work across the development. New York-headquartered Kohn Pedersen Fox was appointed to lead early design for the first residential community, while Aecom and Jacobs were selected as lead design consultants for the Mukaab district.

In August 2025, NMDC signed a memorandum of understanding with Falcons Creative Group, another US-based firm, to develop the creative vision and immersive experiences for the Mukaab project. Meanwhile, Beijing-based China Harbour Engineering Co. completed the excavation works for the Mukaab, and UAE-headquartered HSSG Foundation Contracting executed the foundation works.