Highlights:

Cloud adoption critical to the future of Saudi Arabia’s mining industry.

Ma’aden aims for a tenfold growth by 2040, leveraging advanced technologies.

Saudi Arabia focuses on integrating AI, cloud, and other emerging technologies into its Vision 2030 strategy.

Key Background:

Saudi Arabia’s mining industry is on the verge of significant transformation, driven by the adoption of cloud technology, according to Abdullah Al-Osaimi, Senior Vice President of Procurement and Business Support at Ma’aden. Speaking at the Oracle CloudWorld Tour Riyadh event, Al-Osaimi emphasized the importance of cloud computing in supporting the mining sector’s future growth, particularly in remote exploration activities where traditional methods face challenges.

“Cloud technology is pivotal as mining operations expand into remote, uninhabited areas,” Al-Osaimi stated. “It allows for faster, more accurate data processing, which is essential in mineral exploration.” He highlighted that technologies like mobility, edge computing, and AI are integral for improving productivity and shortening the exploration-to-production timeline, which typically takes up to 15 years. Ma’aden aims to reduce this timeline by half by leveraging these innovations.

In line with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, which emphasizes the diversification of the economy through strategic growth in sectors like mining, Ma’aden is aggressively adopting cloud solutions to support its ambitious goals. The company plans to grow tenfold by 2040, with a focus on scalability, cost-effectiveness, and operational efficiency.

Oracle also played a key role in the discussion, with Reham Al-Musa, Managing Director of Oracle Saudi Arabia, underscoring the company’s investment in the Kingdom’s digital transformation. Oracle has expanded its presence with multiple cloud data centers, including in Riyadh, Jeddah, and NEOM, and introduced sovereign cloud services in collaboration with Saudi Telecom Co. to provide secure, regulated cloud solutions for local industries. The Oracle CloudWorld Tour, held for the first time in Riyadh, marks a significant step in Saudi Arabia’s ongoing efforts to harness cloud and AI technologies, aligning with the nation’s goal to become a global leader in digital innovation.