RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, Aug. 14, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Saudi Arabia's mining sector has achieved an unprecedented global milestone, jumping from 104th place in 2013 to 23rd in 2024 in the Fraser Institute's Mining Investment Attractiveness Index, according to the Institute's 2024 Annual Survey of Mining Companies. The Kingdom surpassed mining jurisdictions in prominent destinations across Asia and Latin America.
The Kingdom also made notable progress in the Policy Perception Index (PPI), rising from 82nd globally in 2013 to 20th in 2024, reflecting growing international confidence in its stable regulatory environment.
The Mineral Potential Index (MPI) also saw an unprecedented leap, moving from 58th in 2013 to 24th in 2024, highlighting the scale of the Kingdom's vast and untapped mineral wealth—supported by ongoing geological surveys, new discoveries, and widely attended mining licensing rounds.
"This outstanding performance reflects the structural transformation and holistic efforts being driven across the mining and mineral sector under Vision 2030," said His Excellency Eng. Khalid Al-Mudaifer, Vice Minister for Mining Affairs.
"Our focus remains on maximizing the economic value of our mineral resources, creating jobs for citizens, and localizing supply chains. Mining is no longer a traditional sector; rather, it has become a key driver of industrial and economic growth, and we are committed to building on this momentum to ensure sustainable success," Al-Mudaifer added.
The noted that the Kingdom's success was driven by broad regulatory transformations covering security of tenure, taxation, environmental legislation, infrastructure, and community engagement. These efforts enabled Saudi Arabia to enter the top quartile of the index for the first time.
According to the Fraser Institute report, the Kingdom achieved exceptional improvements in key indicators between 2013 and 2024, including:
- 305.8% improvement in the clarity and effectiveness of mining administration, from 17% in 2013 to 69% in 2024, ranking 11th globally.
- 82.2% improvement in clarity of land use for mining activities, from 45% in 2013 to 82% in 2024, ranking 7th globally.
- 102.2% improvement in labor regulations, from 45% in 2013 to 91% in 2024.
- 81.8% improvement in the quality of geological databases, from 33% in 2013 to 60% in 2024.
The report praised the Kingdom's stable regulatory environment and ambitious reforms, which have strengthened international investor confidence and solidified Saudi Arabia's status as a world-class mining investment destination—fully aligned with Vision 2030's goal of diversifying the economy and developing strategic sectors.
** The press release content is from PR Newswire. Bastille Post is not involved in its creation. **
Saudi Arabia leaps from 104th to 23rd globally in the Mining Investment Attractiveness Index
ALULA, Saudi Arabia, Jan. 16, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Today marks the official opening of Desert X AlUla 2026, the landmark fourth edition of the international, open-air biennial exhibition. Arts AlUla, in collaboration with Desert X, welcomes visitors to experience a stellar line-up of Saudi and international multi-generational artists whose site-responsive earthworks, sculptures, and installations will engage in a powerful dialogue with the awe-inspiring landscapes and layered heritage of AlUla.
As a premier destination rich in ancient history and breathtaking nature, AlUla, located in Northwest Saudi Arabia, solidifies its position on the global stage as a dynamic, emerging land art destination with Desert X AlUla, the region's first public art biennale, and a key highlight of the AlUla Arts Festival.
The 2026 edition of Desert X AlUla brings together 11 acclaimed artists whose diverse works reflect a wide spectrum of ideas, materials, and traditions. From monumental kinetic sculpture to sound-based explorations above and below ground, each commission is deeply rooted in relationships to AlUla's distinctive environment, further cementing Desert X AlUla's reputation as a globally significant platform for site-responsive land art.
Desert X AlUla runs until February 28, 2026, as a cornerstone of the annual AlUla Arts Festival. Curated by Wejdan Reda, Zoé Whitley, with artistic direction by Neville Wakefield, and Raneem Farsi, its fourth edition explores 'Space Without Measure.' Inspired by Kahlil Gibran, the theme fosters contemplation of imagination within AlUla's natural settings. The exhibition, set in the desert canyons of AlUla, serves as a pre-opening programme for Wadi AlFann, offering a pivotal glimpse into AlUla's plans to create a permanent land art 'Valley of the Arts.'
Hamad Alhomiedan, Director of Arts & Creative Industries at the Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU), said: "At Desert X AlUla 2026, audiences will engage with art that deeply converses with AlUla's unique landscapes and rich heritage. These compelling commissions highlight AlUla's dynamic transformation into a major global destination, where ancient and contemporary expressions converge. This exhibition is part of our broader revitalisation of AlUla as a culturally rich destination to live, work and visit and integral to positioning AlUla in the global dialogue of contemporary art and as a precursor to monumental projects like Wadi AlFann."
Participating artist/artworks are:
- Sara Abdu, A Kingdom Where No One Dies: Contours of Resonance
- Mohammad Alfaraj, What was the Question Again?
- Mohammed AlSaleem, The Thorn, AlShuruf Unit, The Triangles, Flower Bud, and Al Ahilla (courtesy of Royal Commission for Riyadh City)
- Tarek Atoui, The Water Song
- Bahraini-Danish, Bloom
- Maria Magdalena Campos-Pons, Imole Red
- Agnes Denes, The Living Pyramid
- Ibrahim El-Salahi, Haraza Tree
- Basmah Felemban, Murmur of Pebbles
- Vibha Galhotra, Future Fables
- Héctor Zamora, Tar HyPar
For further information, please contact:
Sabrine.Shaw@bursonglobal.com
AlUlaArtsFestival@bursonglobal.com
Multimedia gallery:
High-resolution photos of all 11 artists and their artworks can be found here.
About AlUla and Arts AlUla
Located 1,100 km from Riyadh, in North-West Saudi Arabia, AlUla is a place of extraordinary natural and human heritage. The vast area, covering 22,561km², includes a lush oasis valley, towering sandstone mountains and ancient cultural heritage sites dating back thousands of years to when the Lihyan and Nabataean kingdoms reigned.
The most well-known and recognised site in AlUla is Hegra, the principal southern city of the Nabataean Kingdom and Saudi Arabia's first UNESCO World Heritage Site. AlUla is also home to ancient Dadan, the capital of the Dadan and Lihyan Kingdoms and considered to be one of the most developed 1st millennium BCE cities of the Arabian Peninsula, and Jabal Ikmah, an open air library of hundreds of inscriptions and writings in many different languages. AlUla Old Town Village, a labyrinth of more than 900 mudbrick homes was developed from at least the 12th century and has been revitalised as the vibrant hub for visitors and residents.
The creation of Arts AlUla within The Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU) is a commitment to crafting the next chapters in a millennia of artistic creation – celebrating cultural inheritance and shaping a future inspired by artists built be artists. The work of Arts AlUla seeks to preserve this legacy: fuse the old with the new; the local with the international, keeping the arts central to the spirit of AlUla as a place of extraordinary natural and human heritage.
Wadi AlFann, meaning 'Valley of the Arts,' will be a global cultural destination for land art, unveiling from 2028 onwards, where era-defining works by artists from around the world will be permanently sited in the monumental landscape of AlUla, the extraordinary desert region of north-west Saudi Arabia.
** The press release content is from PR Newswire. Bastille Post is not involved in its creation. **
Desert X AlUla 2026: monumental land art exhibition opens in the ancient oasis of AlUla
