Saudi Arabia’s mining champion Ma’aden is embarking on one of its most ambitious expansions yet, pledging to double gold production by 2030 and build a fully integrated rare earths supply chain as part of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 diversification drive. “Our story is organic growth,” he said, pointing to gold, copper, and rare earths as the core of this growth trajectory. Saudi Arabia’s entry as a serious supplier—supported by downstream capacity—could help ease supply bottlenecks, stabilise prices, and reduce strategic dependence on Beijing. Internationally, Ma’aden faces stiff competition from Australia, the US, and African producers, many of whom are also racing to capture market share in rare earths and battery metals. If successful, Ma’aden’s plan could transform Saudi Arabia into a critical minerals hub, spanning extraction, processing, and global supply.