Saudi Minister of Mineral Resources Advances Lithium Collaboration During High-Level Visit to the United States
Meeting with leading lithium producers and technology innovators, key discussions explored strategic cooperation, the use of critical minerals for electric vehicle production, and the Kingdom’s industrial transformation under Vision 2030.
His Excellency met with the CEO of Lilac Solutions, a U.S pioneer in advanced lithium extraction technologies, and the Chairman and CEO of Albemarle Corporation, the world’s largest lithium producer. He also engaged with U.S government officials, including Secretary of Energy, Chris Wright, the first meeting between the two since both parties signed a Memorandum of Cooperation in May.
The discussions with Lilac Solutions, explored opportunities to deploy the company’s ion-exchange lithium extraction technology in the Gulf region, in partnership with Saudi entities, elsewhere, His Excellency’s meeting with Albemarle Corporation reaffirmed the Kingdom’s ambition to become a major global lithium producer by 2027. The conversation focused on lithium hydroxide conversion in the Kingdom, to support its battery production goals.
Saudi Arabia’s National Industrial Strategy (NIS) identifies mining as a critical driver of economic diversification, aiming to increase the sector’s GDP contribution to USD64 billion by 2030. With an estimated USD2.5 trillion in mineral wealth, the Kingdom is positioning itself as a global leader in the supply of critical minerals, while also enhancing downstream industries, including EV manufacturing, aerospace, and advanced technology.
Lithium plays a vital role in supporting Saudi Arabia’s ambition to produce 300,000 EVs annually by 2030. In 2024, the Kingdom achieved a breakthrough in meeting these targets by extracting lithium from oilfield brine runoff, unlocking a new and sustainable source. Research at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), has also identified innovative lithium recovery methods from seawater, increasing the volume of lithium required to meet EV production goals.
Globally, demand for lithium is expected to rise fivefold to 5,500 gigawatt-hour (GWh) by 2030, driven by the rapid growth of EVs and energy storage technologies. The United States, home to some of the world’s largest lithium deposits, including a Nevada discovery valued at over $1.5 trillion, shares Saudi Arabia’s vision of building secure and sustainable supply chains.
Strategic partnerships between the two countries are already underway, with US-based Lucid Group, selecting the Kingdom as an ideal location to establish its first international EV facility in 2023, and South Korea’s Hyundai, aligning with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 goals by localizing advanced automotive manufacturing.
In May 2025, during the Saudi-U.S Investment Forum in Riyadh, the two nations signed a monumental $600 billion investment and technology framework, strengthening collaboration across clean energy, defense, and infrastructure. Additionally, on the sidelines of the same forum, a Memorandum of Cooperation was signed between the U.S Department of Energy and the Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources, with lithium forming a vital component of this bilateral agreement.
Other significant partnerships, including one between the Saudi Arabian Mining Company (Maaden) and U.S-based MP Materials, are already enabling the development of rare earth supply chain. The Kingdom also makes notable investments in U.S innovation to support the development of lithium technologies. For example, Energy Capital Group, a Saudi firm, recently invested in Boston-based Pure Lithium, which specializes in lithium metal batteries and technology that reduces battery manufacturing times. Similarly, Burkhan World Investments, a U.S investment platform, signed $15 billion in agreements with Saudi partners earlier this year, including a $9 billion mining and critical minerals initiative that focuses on lithium, cobalt, and rare earth elements.
On the ground, Saudi Arabia has developed a high-tech ecosystem of industrial hubs, cities, and new specialized clusters, such as aerospace cluster “Aero Park One” in Jeddah, and “King Salman Automotive Cluster” in King Abdullah Economic City, Together, they ensure that lithium and other critical minerals, including aluminum, titanium, and nickel, power the Kingdom’s transition to clean energy and high-tech industries.
With its vast mineral wealth, technological innovation, and growing international partnerships, Saudi Arabia is demonstrating how natural resources, such as lithium, can be transformed into critical drivers of industrial growth, sustainable energy, and long-term global partnerships.
Media Center
Saudi Arabia’s Ministery of Industry and Mineral Resources
+966 11 505 1718
media@mim.gov.sa
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