Saudi Arabian Mining Company (Ma'aden), one of the world's fastest-growing mining firms, marks the fifth anniversary of Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030.

The Kingdom's mining champion outlines important milestones since the Vision 2030 announcement, along with proposals that represent the Kingdom's dedication to social and economic growth.

In recent five years, the Kingdom has implemented major incentive programs and confirmed essential reforms to speed mining as a strategic pillar of the Saudi economy, along with the new mining investment legislation, which was recently implemented, to draw investors and prepare for the maximum use of Saudi Arabia's mineral resources.

This is consistent with the goals of the National Industrial Development and Logistics Program (NIDLP), which is one of the most critical projects aimed at reaching vision 2030.

Since 2016, Ma'aden has kept its ventures through a variety of resources on a high growth trajectory. The group has increased its investment portfolio, refinanced main ventures, and completed its first overseas takeover, paving the groundwork for potential development and new business opportunities in the Saudi mining industry.

Despite some difficulties in 2020 as a result of COVID-19, Ma'aden was able to retain its agility and stay focused on its aim of becoming a global Saudi mining titan while maintaining the highest level of health, protection, and environmental standards.

Ras Al-Khair Industrial City, located on Saudi Arabia's east coast, sparked the country's mining industry growth by capitalizing on the country's strategic position linking three continents.

Ras Al-Khair Industrial City was extended and linked by railway to Ma'aden's bauxite mine in Qassim and phosphate mine in Al Jalamid in November 2016, rendering it a pillar of the Kingdom's metal and mineral processing and export industries.

With over $11 billion in investments, Ma'aden's interconnected ‘mine to market' aluminum supply chain is the biggest in the Middle East and one of the largest in the world. Aluminum products of the highest quality specifications are marketed in both domestic and foreign markets, fostering the growth of additional downstream aluminum-based enterprises in Saudi Arabia and neighboring countries.

The largest and most productive vertically integrated aluminum facility in the world is situated in Ras Al Khair Industrial City, which also comprises sulphur and phosphate production plants.

Ma'aden welcomed the opening of the industrial city of Wa'ad Al Shamal by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman, in 2018, to capture the maximum value of Saudi Arabia's substantial phosphate deposits and building new mining and mineral operations.

Wa'ad Al Shamal is a world-class mining and industrial region in Saudi Arabia's Northern Borders province.

This phosphate superhub will expand further with Ma'aden's new phosphate massive project, which is expected to grow phosphate fertilizer production to 6 million tonnes, rendering Ma'aden the world's third-largest producer and Saudi Arabia the world's second-largest exporter of phosphate fertilizer.

Ma'aden also purchased an 85 % interest in Meridian, a fertilizer distribution company headquartered in Mauritius, in 2018, bolstering its status as among the world's leading manufacturers and exporters of phosphate fertilizers.

This was Ma'aden's first venture outside the Kingdom, in sync with the company's aim of expanding internationally and making a major contribution to the Kingdom's Vision 2030.

Ma'aden began work on the Mansourah and Massarah gold mine in 2019, the company's biggest gold expansion and the Kingdom's first to use solar power as a source of energy.

Once functional, the mine and its processing plants will play a critical role in Ma'aden's goal of supplying 1 million ounces of gold each year by 2025.

These achievements are all thanks to the starting points laid down by the Saudi Vision 2030 that laid the groundwork for building an appealing atmosphere for domestic and foreign investment in attractive growing sectors and enabling new ones.

That's in addition to expanding remote regions, introducing technology and expertise to the Kingdom, building specialized and new manufacturing cities, and creating a diverse range of work prospects for Saudi citizens.