Riyadh: King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST) President Dr. Munir Eldesouki inaugurated the Advanced Mineral Resources Knowledge Lab with Saudi Arabian Mining Company (Maaden) in a strategic step aimed at enhancing geological innovation and supporting advanced exploration activities in the Kingdom. The inauguration took place during the 19th International Lithosphere Program Forum, organized by KACST in partnership with the United Nations-affiliated International Lithosphere Program (ILP), Saudi Aramco, and Maaden.
According to Saudi Press Agency, the event was attended by Industry and Mineral Resources Vice Minister for Mining Affairs Eng. Khalid Al-Mudaifer, Aramco Vice President for Transition Minerals Dr. Saleh Al-Saleh, Maaden Vice President of Geoscience And Innovation Giuseppe Lo Grasso, and a distinguished group of Earth-science scholars and researchers from several countries and research institutions.
The laboratory localizes advanced geophysical modeling technologies to raise the efficiency of mineral exploration and enable a more accurate understanding of the Earth's interior. It also develops modern geophysical survey technologies, contributing to the national mining sector.
In his speech at the forum, Al-Mudaifer said that global demand for minerals is accelerating at an unprecedented pace. He noted that the Kingdom placed geology at the core of its mining strategy after completing a geological survey covering more than 700,000 square kilometers of the Arabian Shield, strengthening its position as a reliable partner in global mineral supply chains.
KACST Senior Vice President for Research and Development Dr. Talal Alsedairy stated that the Kingdom possesses one of the world's most important mineral regions that enhances its position in supporting the mineral economy. He added that the shift toward clean energy technologies increases the demand for minerals and makes investment in lithosphere sciences essential to ensuring resource security.
Dr. Alsedairy stated that the Kingdom is moving decisively in this field through the scientific and technological innovation ecosystem led by KACST, which serves as the national laboratory for innovation research in the mining sector and as an incubator for the Mineral Innovation Acceleration Park. This work is carried out through the partnership established between KACST and the Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources to strengthen research and development in the sector. The park serves as a platform linking national and regional centers of excellence to exchange expertise and knowledge in modern technologies, modeling, and artificial intelligence.
Aramco's Dr. Al-Saleh emphasized that the gathering of experts and scientists at this forum reflects the attention given to developing advanced resource-exploration methods that take environmental protection into account. He stressed the importance of science as a foundation for building a more sustainable future, noting the strategic partnership between KACST and Aramco in supporting geoscience.
Maaden's Lo Grasso praised the strategic cooperation with KACST in launching a laboratory specialized in geophysical data processing and advanced inverse modeling. He described the partnership as a pivotal step in strengthening scientific research, understanding the deep structure of the Kingdom's lithosphere, and enabling mineral exploration.
The forum included panel discussions that addressed the lithosphere of the Arab region, the mineral system of the Arabian-Nubian Shield, and geological heritage and its role in supporting sustainable tourism and economic development. The aim was to share scientific challenges, review key related findings, develop multidisciplinary scientific methodologies, and encourage scientific research across the Arab region.
The forum also reviewed recent developments in lithosphere dynamics, AI, remote-sensing technologies, numerical modeling, and exploration technologies for hydrocarbon and mineral resources in the Kingdom.