FMF 2026: Saudi Arabia Leads a New Africa–Asia ‘Super-Zone’

Minerals have become crucial in linking energy, transportation, technology, and politics, transcending their former status as mere economic news. Key minerals like lithium and nickel are essential for electric vehicle batteries, while copper is vital for power systems. Additionally, other less visible minerals impact product pricing and safety, influencing factories, jobs, and government policies when supplies dwindle or prices increase.

So, under the theme “Dawn of a Global Cause,” the Future Minerals Forum (FMF) took place in Riyadh from January 13–15, 2026, at the King Abdulaziz International Conference Centre. It posed a practical question: How can minerals change from a volatile supply chain to a value chain you can confidently finance, govern, and execute?

The Super-Zone Redraws the Map

The word “super-zone” refers to a large region that includes West and Central Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. It is an enormous geological reserve that has not yet been fully utilised. The theory asserts that infrastructure, investment, and refining and processing capacity are the true bottlenecks rather than the lack of raw materials outside of this zone.

It contends that regional collaboration may turn this fragmentation into shorter supply chains and negotiating strength. Building the super-zone as a supply and investment corridor might speed up the capital expenditure needed for energy transition materials and balance the concentration of industry in a few important centres, according to a Wood Mackenzie report given at the event.

Besides, Saudi Arabia surfaced as a participant looking to establish itself at the centre of this zone by linking suppliers to markets in the early international coverage of the notion.

The Forum is a Venue for Shared Interests

Riyadh is portraying the event as a platform that unites manufacturers, consumers, financiers, and governing organisations in one location rather than a conventional trade show. Building “resilient and responsible” value chains in supply regions, transferring technology and expertise, and establishing Saudi Arabia as a centre for metals and metals trade are all mentioned in the forum’s official publications.

Moreover, this is not just marketing jargon; it has a clear meaning: the direction of investment, and thus the path of supply itself, may be influenced by anyone who can integrate funding, market norms, and political decision-making. The forum’s definition itself attests to the fact that it is a ’cause’ that goes beyond the conference and strives for real outcomes rather than merely photo ops.

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Funding for Stalled Projects

Mining is a slow and costly industry, and many projects, particularly in settings with logistical or regulatory deficiencies, stall at the risk level before reaching production. This is where Saudi Arabia’s story comes into play: using long-term alliances, infrastructure funding, and sovereign wealth funds to reduce risk.

In the midst of a global competition for copper, lithium, and transition metals, the Public Investment Fund (PIF) is reportedly considering spinning out Manarat Minerals from the fund, turning it from a simple investing arm into an organisation that develops technological skills, according to Reuters.

The estimated untapped mineral wealth of Saudi Arabia is more than $2.5 trillion; international and local investment are part of the same strategy rather than different paths.

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The Narrative of Trust Before Supply

The super-zone requires quantifiable faith in addition to money. Since the ‘social license’ is now a requirement for funding before it is a requirement for operation, the global market now expects traceable minerals and unambiguous criteria for governance, the environment, and community rights.

Consequently, it makes sense for programmes like EITI to participate in the 2026 Forum, as well as for the Forum to introduce measuring tools like the “FMF Barometer,” which tracks responsibility, investment, and readiness across supply zones with a clear focus on the super-zone. Clear laws shift competition from ownership of ore to the ability to deliver ethically and legally acceptable ore quickly and at the lowest financing cost.

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