Saudi Arabia, US set to deepen cooperation on mining, critical minerals

Saudi Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources Bandar Alkhorayef with US Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum. SPA
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Updated 05 November 2025
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Saudi Arabia, US set to deepen cooperation on mining, critical minerals

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia and the US are set to deepen cooperation in mining and critical minerals as senior officials met in Riyadh to strengthen supply chains vital to the global energy transition. 

Saudi Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources Bandar Alkhorayef held talks with US Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum, who also chairs the National Energy Dominance Council, to explore new avenues of collaboration in the mining and minerals sector, the Saudi Press Agency reported. 

Saudi Arabia is positioning mining as a central pillar of its Vision 2030 diversification strategy, aiming to unlock an estimated $2.5 trillion in untapped mineral resources. The Kingdom has been deepening global partnerships to attract investment and technology into its fast-growing mining sector. 

“Discussions addressed ways to strengthen cooperation in critical minerals and rare-earth elements, underscoring the need to advance global collaboration to secure sustainable mineral supply chains and support global energy transition,” the SPA report stated. 

The meeting reviewed frameworks for cooperation under the memorandum of cooperation signed in May between the Saudi Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources and the US Department of Energy.  

The agreement, concluded on the sidelines of the Saudi-US Investment Forum in Riyadh, aims to strengthen coordination in areas such as mineral exploration, development of critical mineral value chains, and knowledge exchange.  

Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to promoting responsible and sustainable mining practices, particularly in critical minerals and rare earth elements essential for renewable energy technologies and advanced manufacturing. 

They also emphasized the importance of global collaboration in building resilient supply chains to meet growing demand driven by the energy transition. 

The meeting also highlighted the Future Minerals Forum, an annual global event hosted by Saudi Arabia that brings together policymakers, investors, technology providers, and research institutions to discuss opportunities and challenges in the mining and minerals industry.

The fifth edition of the forum will take place in Riyadh from Jan. 13 to 15, 2026, positioning the Saudi capital as a global hub for dialogue and partnership on sustainable mining and innovation in the sector.  


PIF-backed EV maker Lucid hits 16k 2025 deliveries, sets sights on robotaxi deployment

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PIF-backed EV maker Lucid hits 16k 2025 deliveries, sets sights on robotaxi deployment

RIYADH: Electric vehicle manufacturer Lucid Group, majority-owned by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, announced a surge in deliveries in 2025 with volumes reaching 15,841 units, a 55 percent increase year-on-year.

According to a statement, the EV maker also provided an optimistic production outlook for 2026, signaling confidence in its operational turnaround and strategic shift toward autonomy.

In September 2023, the group opened its first-ever international car manufacturing facility in the Kingdom. The hub serves as the company’s second Advanced Manufacturing Plant and its first outside of the US.

According to the earnings report, the company delivered 5,345 vehicles in the fourth quarter of 2025, up 72 percent from the same period in the previous year, marking its eighth consecutive quarter of record deliveries.

Interim CEO Marc Winterhoff said that 2025 “was all about execution and strategy adjustment to set Lucid up for long-term success. Against a challenging macro backdrop, we nearly doubled production, gained market share, reduced unit costs, and strengthened our financial position.”

This commercial momentum translated directly into financial gains. Lucid’s fourth-quarter revenue soared 123 percent to $522.7 million, while full-year 2025 earnings climbed 68 percent to $1.35 billion. The company ended the quarter with a robust liquidity position of approximately $4.6 billion.

A key driver of the improved performance was the ramp-up of production, including the launch of the Lucid Gravity SUV. Despite facing supply chain and tariff headwinds, Lucid nearly doubled its total production for the year.

The company clarified its final production figures for 2025, reporting a total of 17,840 vehicles. This aligns with its previous guidance of approximately 18,000 units.

Lucid explained that a preliminary estimate of 18,378 units, announced in early January, was revised after 538 vehicles were found not to have completed the final internal validation procedures required to be classified as “produced.”

These vehicles are expected to be finalized in 2026, and the company stressed the revision does not impact previously reported financial results.

The manufacturer expects to produce between 25,000 and 27,000 vehicles in 2026, representing growth of up to 51 percent compared with 2025.

Chief Financial Officer Taoufiq Boussaid said: “Q4 marked a clear step-change in production and unit economics. The progress we made is structural, creating a more repeatable and stable operating cadence heading into 2026.”

Beyond the production numbers, Lucid outlined a pivot toward software and autonomy. Winterhoff highlighted the company’s ambition to become an “early mover in the emerging robotaxi market” by leveraging its industry-leading EV technology and strategic partnerships.

To fund these future growth platforms while maintaining financial discipline, the company is making targeted adjustments to its workforce.

“As we prepare for the next stage of our product and volume expansion, we are making targeted adjustments to our US-based, non-manufacturing workforce to reallocate resources to support the next stage of our growth and margin progression,” Boussaid added.

He reiterated the company’s commitment to “financial rigor, operational efficiency, and thoughtful capital allocation.”

In January 2025, the EV maker became the first global automotive company to join the Kingdom’s “Made in Saudi” program, granting it the right to use the “Saudi Made” label on its products, symbolizing the nation’s focus on quality and innovation.

Lucid’s facility, located in King Abdullah Economic City, can currently assemble 5,000 vehicles annually during its first phase. Once fully operational, the complete manufacturing plant, including the assembly line, is expected to produce up to 155,000 electric cars per year. 

This comes as the Kingdom is promoting the adoption of electric vehicles as part of its Vision 2030 strategy, which aims to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2060.
A critical target of the initiative is for 30 percent of all vehicles in Riyadh to be electric by 2030, contributing to a broader goal of reducing emissions in the capital by 50 percent.