The Middle East is an emerging and strategically significant actor in global critical minerals supply chains, leveraging sovereign wealth, infrastructure capital, and geopolitical positioning to build processing and refining capacity across battery materials, copper, aluminium, and phosphates. While the region is not a primary source of the battery minerals that dominate critical minerals discourse — lithium, cobalt, nickel, and rare earths — it holds meaningful reserves of copper, phosphate, and bauxite, and is investing heavily in midstream processing of imported concentrates. Critical minerals Middle East strategy is driven primarily by Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 and the UAE’s industrial diversification agenda, both of which have identified the minerals-to-manufacturing value chain as a priority.
Critical Minerals Overview — Middle East
Saudi Arabia holds significant copper, zinc, gold, and phosphate resources in the Arabian Shield — a Precambrian geological formation that has been systematically explored by Saudi Aramco subsidiary Ma’aden (Tadawul: 1211) since the 1990s. Ma’aden operates the world’s largest integrated phosphate complex at Wa’ad Al Shamal, producing diammonium phosphate (DAP) and other fertiliser products, and has copper and gold mining operations at Jabal Sayid and Al Amar. The UAE’s critical minerals strategy focuses on refining and processing rather than primary mining, with Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA) operating one of the world’s largest aluminium smelters and the country developing ambitions in battery materials processing. Oman holds copper resources in the Semail Ophiolite belt, with Minerals Development Oman (MDO) advancing exploration and development programmes. Jordan is a significant phosphate producer through Jordan Phosphate Mines Company (ASE: JOPHC).
Key Minerals by Country — Middle East
| Country | Key Minerals | Notable Projects | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Saudi Arabia | Copper, Phosphate, Gold, Zinc | Wa’ad Al Shamal (phosphate), Jabal Sayid (Cu/Au, Ma’aden/Barrick) | Production / Expansion |
| UAE | Aluminium (processing), Battery materials (planned) | EGA Al Taweelah smelter, battery recycling investments | Production / Development |
| Oman | Copper, Chromite | MDO Semail Ophiolite copper projects | Exploration / Development |
| Jordan | Phosphate, Potash | Jordan Phosphate Mines, Arab Potash Company | Production |
| Israel | Phosphate, Bromine | ICL Group operations (Dead Sea / Negev) | Production |
Major Companies & Projects — Middle East
Ma’aden (Tadawul: 1211) is the dominant regional mining company, with a market capitalisation of over $30 billion and operations spanning phosphate, aluminium, copper, gold, and zinc. Its phosphate joint venture with SABIC and Mosaic produces approximately 3 million tonnes per annum of DAP. The Jabal Sayid copper-gold mine is a 50/50 joint venture with Barrick Gold (NYSE/TSX: GOLD). Ma’aden’s Vision 2030-aligned expansion programme targets doubling mining sector GDP contribution by 2030. Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA), owned by Mubadala and ICD, is one of the world’s five largest aluminium producers, smelting approximately 2.6 million tonnes per annum. EGA’s Guinea Alumina Corporation provides bauxite feed, making EGA one of the few aluminium producers with an integrated mine-to-metal supply chain outside China. ICL Group (NYSE/TASE: ICL) produces bromine, phosphate, and potash from Dead Sea and Negev Desert operations, with bromine a critical mineral for flame retardants and pharmaceutical applications.
Policy, Regulation & Investment Climate
Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 has elevated the mining sector from a marginal contributor to a national priority, with the National Mining Strategy targeting SAR 240 billion ($64 billion) in mining sector investment by 2030 and the designation of mining as the “third pillar” of the Saudi economy alongside oil and petrochemicals. The 2020 Mining Investment Law streamlined permitting, reduced royalty rates for base and precious metals, and created a new regulatory framework under the Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources. The UAE has positioned itself as a hub for critical minerals trading and refining through free zone incentives in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, and is exploring battery materials processing investments through Mubadala’s portfolio. Both countries are active participants in G20 critical minerals frameworks and have signed bilateral mineral cooperation agreements with major consuming nations.
Middle East in the Global Critical Minerals Supply Chain
The Middle East’s role in critical minerals is less about primary extraction and more about capital deployment, processing infrastructure, and strategic positioning. Gulf sovereign wealth funds — Saudi Arabia’s PIF, Abu Dhabi’s ADIA and Mubadala, and Qatar Investment Authority — have invested billions in critical mineral companies and projects globally, including stakes in lithium, copper, and rare earth developers across Africa, Australia, and Latin America. This capital allocation positions Gulf states as financially significant actors in the global supply chain even where they lack direct mining operations. The region’s energy infrastructure — particularly its LNG and hydrogen ambitions — also intersects with critical minerals through electrolyser and fuel cell supply chains that require platinum group metals and rare earths.
Latest Critical Minerals News — Middle East
This section features the latest critical minerals news from the Middle East. Browse all Middle East coverage below.
| Indicator | Data Point | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Ma’aden market capitalisation (approx.) | $30bn+ | Tadawul (estimated, 2025) |
| EGA aluminium production | ~2.6m t/yr | EGA (estimated) |
| Saudi National Mining Strategy investment target | SAR 240bn ($64bn) by 2030 | Saudi Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources |
| Wa’ad Al Shamal DAP production | ~3m t/yr | Ma’aden (estimated) |
Data is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice. Figures are subject to revision.
What critical minerals does the Middle East produce?
The Middle East’s primary critical mineral production includes phosphate from Saudi Arabia (Wa’ad Al Shamal complex, Ma’aden) and Jordan (Jordan Phosphate Mines), copper and gold from Saudi Arabia (Jabal Sayid, Ma’aden/Barrick), aluminium from the UAE (EGA, approximately 2.6 million tonnes per annum), bromine and potash from Israel and Jordan (ICL Group, Arab Potash), and copper from Oman’s Semail Ophiolite belt. The region is not a significant producer of battery-relevant minerals such as lithium, cobalt, or nickel, but is investing in processing and refining of these materials.
What is Ma’aden and why is it important?
Ma’aden (Saudi Arabian Mining Company, Tadawul: 1211) is Saudi Arabia’s national mining company and the dominant mining operator in the Middle East. With a market capitalisation exceeding $30 billion, Ma’aden operates the world’s largest integrated phosphate complex at Wa’ad Al Shamal, a copper-gold mine at Jabal Sayid (50/50 with Barrick Gold), and significant aluminium and gold operations. Under Vision 2030, Ma’aden is expanding aggressively with a target of doubling its contribution to Saudi GDP by 2030.
How is Saudi Arabia developing its mining sector?
Saudi Arabia’s 2020 Mining Investment Law and National Mining Strategy are the key instruments. The law reduced royalty rates, streamlined permitting, and created an investor-friendly regulatory framework under the Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources. The strategy targets SAR 240 billion ($64 billion) in mining investment by 2030 and aims to develop untapped resources in the Arabian Shield — estimated to contain significant undeveloped copper, zinc, gold, and rare earth deposits. International mining companies including Barrick Gold, Rio Tinto, and several junior explorers have begun or expanded exploration activities in Saudi Arabia since 2020.
What is the UAE’s role in critical minerals?
The UAE’s role is primarily as a processing, trading, and capital deployment hub rather than a primary producer. Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA) is one of the world’s five largest aluminium producers. Abu Dhabi’s sovereign investors — Mubadala and ADIA — have made significant investments in critical mineral companies and projects globally. The UAE is exploring battery materials processing and recycling investments through free zone incentives and has signed bilateral critical minerals cooperation agreements with several resource-rich countries. Dubai’s position as a global trading hub also makes it a significant centre for physical critical mineral commodity flows.
How are Gulf sovereign wealth funds investing in critical minerals?
Gulf sovereign wealth funds — including Saudi Arabia’s PIF, Abu Dhabi’s Mubadala and ADIA, and Qatar Investment Authority — have invested billions in critical mineral companies globally since 2022. Investments span lithium developers in Australia and South America, copper and cobalt producers in Africa, and battery materials companies in Asia and Europe. This capital deployment positions Gulf states as financially significant actors across the critical minerals value chain, independent of their domestic geological endowment.
What is the outlook for critical minerals in the Middle East in 2026?
Ma’aden’s expansion programme is expected to progress on multiple fronts in 2026, including phosphate capacity expansions and new base metal exploration in the Arabian Shield. Saudi Arabia’s mining sector reform is attracting increasing interest from international majors and juniors. The UAE’s battery processing ambitions may yield concrete project announcements. Oman’s copper development pipeline is advancing. Analysts view the Middle East as a fast-growing but currently modest contributor to primary critical mineral production, with its primary near-term value in capital deployment, processing investment, and strategic positioning rather than mine supply.
