Maaden, Saudi Arabia’s state-owned mining company, has taken a significant step in bolstering its gold production capabilities by commissioning Metso, a Finnish industrial machinery company, to supply a comprehensive gold processing plant for its Ar Rjum mine. Located in the Makkah Region, approximately 200 km northeast of Ta’if, this project underscores a strategic move to diversify and expand Saudi Arabia’s mining sector, aligning with the Kingdom’s broader economic vision.
The €128 million order, a substantial portion of which was booked in Metso’s Minerals segment’s 3Q25 and 4Q order intake, encompasses an end-to-end gold processing line. This includes a crushing station, conveying systems, a grinding circuit with SAG and ball mills, pre-leaching and CIL leaching circuits, tailings thickeners, a gravity separation circuit, an elution plant, and gold room technologies. Beyond the physical infrastructure, Metso’s delivery also includes process electrification, field instrumentation, automation, and detailed engineering for the processing plant. Advisory services for equipment installation, commissioning, and start-up are covered under a separate service contract, to be booked later.
Piia Karhu, President of Minerals at Metso, expressed pride in the collaboration, stating, “We are honoured to be Maaden’s partner in this landmark project, which not only strengthens our long-standing collaboration but also aligns closely with Saudi Arabia’s national strategy to expand and diversify its mining industry. By delivering advanced, sustainable gold processing solutions and comprehensive services, Metso is proud to support the Kingdom’s vision for increased gold production and responsible resource development.”
This project is a testament to Metso’s comprehensive gold processing expertise and its long-standing presence in the Middle East, spanning over 25 years. The company views the region as a growth market due to its mineral resources and infrastructure development needs. Metso’s local team is poised to provide value-added solutions in process technologies and long-term life cycle service support, further cementing its commitment to the region.
The implications of this development are multifaceted. For Maaden, the new processing plant at Ar Rjum is a strategic investment that could significantly enhance its gold production capacity. For Metso, the project reinforces its position as a global leader in sustainable gold processing technologies and underscores its commitment to the Middle Eastern market. Moreover, the collaboration aligns with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, which aims to diversify the economy away from oil and foster growth in sectors like mining.
The project also highlights the growing trend of international partnerships in the mining sector, where global technology providers are collaborating with local mining companies to deliver state-of-the-art solutions. This trend is likely to continue as countries seek to leverage their mineral resources for economic development while adhering to sustainable and responsible practices.
Furthermore, the project’s focus on advanced, sustainable gold processing solutions is a response to the increasing global emphasis on environmental performance and resource efficiency. As the mining industry faces scrutiny over its environmental impact, such initiatives demonstrate a commitment to improving productivity, energy and water efficiency, and environmental performance in gold production.
In conclusion, the Maaden-Metso partnership at the Ar Rjum mine is a significant development that could shape the future of gold mining in Saudi Arabia. It underscores the importance of international collaboration, technological innovation, and sustainable practices in driving the growth and diversification of the mining sector. As the project progresses, it will be interesting to see how it influences the broader landscape of gold mining in the region and beyond.