“Saudi Arabia is exceptionally well-positioned to become a central hub in the global critical minerals supply chain.”
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How is DRA implementing its global expertise in Saudi Arabia?
Our strength lies in combining global expertise with local execution. In Saudi Arabia, international experts mentor local engineers and technicians, ensuring skills transfer and sustainable growth of our business.
DRA has demonstrated our unique fast-track project execution and ramp-up approach on a number of flagship projects, in some of the most challenging environments on the planet. This approach is ideally suited to deliver on Saudi Arabia’s vision to rapidly develop the minerals and commodities sector.
How would you assess Saudi Arabia’s strategic role in the critical minerals landscape?
I believe Saudi Arabia is exceptionally well-positioned to become a central hub in the global critical minerals supply chain. Strategically located between Asia, Africa, and North America, the Kingdom enables efficient movement of materials and expertise. The Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources has fostered an attractive investment environment with incentives for downstream industries.
In the near term, we are focused on supporting the development of new mine-to-market value chains, particularly in critical minerals, battery metals, and downstream processing. These areas align directly with Vision 2030’s objectives of economic diversification and the creation of sustainable, high-technology industries.
We are supporting clients bringing raw materials from Africa to process locally, leveraging Saudi Arabia’s advantages in power, logistics, and infrastructure. Our experience in Africa, including the first battery minerals project for manganese in Botswana, informs pilot projects in rare earths and critical minerals, building long-term skills and industrial ecosystems.
How is DRA contributing to workforce development and operational readiness in Saudi Arabia?
Training and capacity building are central to the future of mining in Saudi Arabia, and we have made this a core focus of our operations. Over six years, we have partnered with universities and polytechnic colleges to develop hands-on programs in metallurgy, operations, and plant management, training over 100 Saudi students, many with international exposure. We train for the Kingdom as a whole.
Our model aims to develop well-rounded professionals across commodities and jurisdictions. This means investing in local talent, forming meaningful alliances with Saudi companies, and ensuring compliance with the Kingdom’s localization objectives, IKTVA (In-Kingdom Total Value Add) and NUSANED.
On operational readiness, we use proprietary digital systems and three decades of intellectual property to mitigate risks, ensuring new plants operate efficiently from day one reducing time to ramp up and achieve plants nameplate capacity.
How has DRA achieved its strong record of safety and operational excellence at the Ad Duwayhi plant?
The Ad Duwayhi plant exemplifies DRA Global’s commitment to safe operational excellence. We instilled a performance and safety driven culture from the outset. Our “Zero Harm” commitment has enabled more than five years without a lost-time injury at Ad Duwayhi.
Could you discuss DRA Global’s contribution to innovation and digital transformation within mining operations?
We leverage technology through our Neuromine digital operations center in Johannesburg and Riyadh, which provides real-time visibility across global sites. Using machine learning and data analytics, operators can monitor equipment, predict failures, and perform preventive maintenance, extending asset life and ensuring safe, efficient and cost-effective performance, even in remote regions like the Saudi desert.
What does DRA’s inaugural sustainability report represent for the company?
Our inaugural sustainability report marked a key milestone for DRA Global, formalizing our commitment to ESG across all operations. From project inception, we integrate ESG metrics into design and execution, focusing on energy efficiency, emissions reduction, and resource optimization, as seen in our work on the Mansourah Massarah solar farm. Social sustainability includes investing in local schools, hospitals, and businesses, and mentoring suppliers to build capacity. In Saudi Arabia, this aligns with Vision 2030’s goals of localization and sustainable development.
What are DRA Global’s current and future priorities in Saudi Arabia?
Saudi Arabia is one of DRA Global’s most strategic growth regions. Our commitment is to be a trusted, long-term partner in building the Kingdom’s mineral wealth and processing capability.
QLS Saudi Arabia, our ISO-certified laboratory in Riyadh, ranks among the top two globally for proficiency testing and is open for business, offering advanced analytical and metallurgical testing with quick turnaround and high-quality deliverables.
We continue to expand engineering and project delivery expertise, supporting clients across gold, base metals, and phosphate operations while driving local capacity, innovation, and sustainable growth aligned with Vision 2030.
How is DRA implementing its global expertise in Saudi Arabia?
Our strength lies in combining global expertise with local execution. In Saudi Arabia, international experts mentor local engineers and technicians, ensuring skills transfer and sustainable growth of our business.
DRA has demonstrated our unique fast-track project execution and ramp-up approach on a number of flagship projects, in some of the most challenging environments on the planet. This approach is ideally suited to deliver on Saudi Arabia’s vision to rapidly develop the minerals and commodities sector.
How would you assess Saudi Arabia’s strategic role in the critical minerals landscape?
I believe Saudi Arabia is exceptionally well-positioned to become a central hub in the global critical minerals supply chain. Strategically located between Asia, Africa, and North America, the Kingdom enables efficient movement of materials and expertise. The Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources has fostered an attractive investment environment with incentives for downstream industries.
In the near term, we are focused on supporting the development of new mine-to-market value chains, particularly in critical minerals, battery metals, and downstream processing. These areas align directly with Vision 2030’s objectives of economic diversification and the creation of sustainable, high-technology industries.
We are supporting clients bringing raw materials from Africa to process locally, leveraging Saudi Arabia’s advantages in power, logistics, and infrastructure. Our experience in Africa, including the first battery minerals project for manganese in Botswana, informs pilot projects in rare earths and critical minerals, building long-term skills and industrial ecosystems.
How is DRA contributing to workforce development and operational readiness in Saudi Arabia?
Training and capacity building are central to the future of mining in Saudi Arabia, and we have made this a core focus of our operations. Over six years, we have partnered with universities and polytechnic colleges to develop hands-on programs in metallurgy, operations, and plant management, training over 100 Saudi students, many with international exposure. We train for the Kingdom as a whole.
Our model aims to develop well-rounded professionals across commodities and jurisdictions. This means investing in local talent, forming meaningful alliances with Saudi companies, and ensuring compliance with the Kingdom’s localization objectives, IKTVA (In-Kingdom Total Value Add) and NUSANED.
On operational readiness, we use proprietary digital systems and three decades of intellectual property to mitigate risks, ensuring new plants operate efficiently from day one reducing time to ramp up and achieve plants nameplate capacity.
How has DRA achieved its strong record of safety and operational excellence at the Ad Duwayhi plant?
The Ad Duwayhi plant exemplifies DRA Global’s commitment to safe operational excellence. We instilled a performance and safety driven culture from the outset. Our “Zero Harm” commitment has enabled more than five years without a lost-time injury at Ad Duwayhi.
Could you discuss DRA Global’s contribution to innovation and digital transformation within mining operations?
We leverage technology through our Neuromine digital operations center in Johannesburg and Riyadh, which provides real-time visibility across global sites. Using machine learning and data analytics, operators can monitor equipment, predict failures, and perform preventive maintenance, extending asset life and ensuring safe, efficient and cost-effective performance, even in remote regions like the Saudi desert.
What does DRA’s inaugural sustainability report represent for the company?
Our inaugural sustainability report marked a key milestone for DRA Global, formalizing our commitment to ESG across all operations. From project inception, we integrate ESG metrics into design and execution, focusing on energy efficiency, emissions reduction, and resource optimization, as seen in our work on the Mansourah Massarah solar farm. Social sustainability includes investing in local schools, hospitals, and businesses, and mentoring suppliers to build capacity. In Saudi Arabia, this aligns with Vision 2030’s goals of localization and sustainable development.
What are DRA Global’s current and future priorities in Saudi Arabia?
Saudi Arabia is one of DRA Global’s most strategic growth regions. Our commitment is to be a trusted, long-term partner in building the Kingdom’s mineral wealth and processing capability.
QLS Saudi Arabia, our ISO-certified laboratory in Riyadh, ranks among the top two globally for proficiency testing and is open for business, offering advanced analytical and metallurgical testing with quick turnaround and high-quality deliverables.
We continue to expand engineering and project delivery expertise, supporting clients across gold, base metals, and phosphate operations while driving local capacity, innovation, and sustainable growth aligned with Vision 2030.
