عربي English Türkçe اردو فارسى
Logo
Latest News
Business

Al-Khorayef Discusses Expansion Plans of Brazilian Mining Giant Vale in Saudi Arabia

Al-Khorayef touring giant Carajas mines in the Amazon forests (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Al-Khorayef touring giant Carajas mines in the Amazon forests (Asharq Al-Awsat)
TT
TT

Al-Khorayef Discusses Expansion Plans of Brazilian Mining Giant Vale in Saudi Arabia

Al-Khorayef touring giant Carajas mines in the Amazon forests (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Al-Khorayef touring giant Carajas mines in the Amazon forests (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Saudi Arabia and Brazil are seeking to expand partnerships in the mining sector, as the two countries enjoy important economic and investment relations. The Kingdom supplies Brazil with 16 percent of its market need for phosphate fertilizers through Maaden Company.
During a visit to Brazil, Saudi Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources Bandar Al-Khorayef discussed with officials of the Brazilian mining giant Vale, the company’s expansion plans in the Kingdom and opportunities for cooperation in developing the Carajas mines in the Amazon forests, which produce over 300 million tons of iron ore annually.
On Sunday, the minister visited Vale’s Carajas mines, where he was briefed on advanced technologies used in mineral extraction and processing, including remote mine management and driverless trucks.
Accompanied by Deputy Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources Khalid Al-Mudaifer and other industry leaders, Al-Khorayef discussed with Vale officials prospects for transferring knowledge and expertise, particularly in mining within rainforests and nature reserves, and forming effective partnerships with local communities.
This visit comes as part of the minister’s tour to Brazil and Chile, which aims to strengthen bilateral relations and attract investments to the Kingdom in the industrial and mining sectors.
Brazil is the second largest iron ore producing country in the world, and has a long history in the mining sector, with the number of mines exceeding 3,000.
Vale works to develop a factory and logistics center for processing and producing iron pellets in the Ras Al-Khair Industrial City in the east of the Kingdom, with an investment exceeding SAR 4 billion ($1.06 billion), and a production capacity of up to 4 million tons annually of iron pellets, which is the main material for steel production.
Al-Khorayef had recently met with the CEO of Vale Mining Company, Eduardo Bartolomeo, in Brazil, to discuss the promising investment opportunities provided by the Saudi mining sector and the expansion plans in the Kingdom.

 

 

 

Most Viewed

 
 
Business

Mega Projects Enhance Growth of Saudi Arabia’s Facilities Management

NEOM (Photo: Saudi PIF)
NEOM (Photo: Saudi PIF)
TT
TT

Mega Projects Enhance Growth of Saudi Arabia’s Facilities Management

NEOM (Photo: Saudi PIF)
NEOM (Photo: Saudi PIF)

Mega Saudi projects have contributed to increasing the volume of facilities management investments, which are expected to exceed $60 billion during 2030.
Facilities management is defined as a comprehensive field that brings together the workplace (buildings and facilities), its workforce, and system operations.
It aims to ensure smooth workflow, improve the efficiency of using facilities, and create a safe and comfortable work environment.
The sector covers a wide range of services, including hard services such as mechanical and electrical maintenance, fire safety, and maintenance of building systems and equipment, and soft services such as cleaning, recycling, pest and infection control, floor maintenance and waste disposal.
An electronic platform was launched in 2023 to develop the sector.
In comments to Asharq Al-Awsat, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Saudi Facilities Management Association, Eng. Ayed Al-Qahtani, said that the volume of the sector is expected to reach $60 billion in 2030, with a 13.5 percent growth rate until the end of the decade.
Total government spending on the infrastructure and public services sector in the Saudi budget for 2023 amounted to about SAR 190 billion ($50.6 billion), of which facilities management constitutes a large part, according to Al-Qahtani.

According to MordorIntelligence’s expectations, the size of the facilities management market in Saudi Arabia will reach $49.6 billion by 2029, driven by many factors, including government investments in infrastructure projects.
For its part, P&S Intelligence believes that the market will grow at a compound annual rate of 12.4 percent, reaching $90.1 billion by the end of the current decade, pointing to increased construction activities in the country, a growing tourism industry, and over-reliance on advanced technologies.
Al-Qahtani stressed that the Kingdom’s market in the facilities management sector is the fastest growing in the world, with the entry of major international companies into the local market.
He revealed that the association intends to hold the International Facilities Management Conference and Exhibition in September, under the patronage of the Minister of Municipalities and Housing, Majid Al-Hogail, and in strategic partnership with the Saudi Facilities Management Company, which is owned by the Public Investment Fund.
The company was established in 2023 to meet the market needs and provide sector services for the Fund’s real estate development projects.
Al-Qahtani noted that the objectives of the upcoming conference were based on three elements: the quality of human life within the built environment, the role of artificial intelligence in facilities management, especially in light of recent developments and the global tech outage, in addition to the protection of data inside buildings.
He said he expects the event to witness the signing of 10 to 15 cooperation agreements.