Saudi Arabian Mining Company Ma’aden has made a significant breakthrough in the extraction of lithium from seawater, marking a crucial step in the kingdom’s efforts to diversify its economy and become a key player in the global lithium market.
Ma’aden’s CEO, Robert Wilt, confirmed the successful extraction of lithium from seawater, although he noted that the project is still in the pilot stage and not yet commercially viable. Despite this, the achievement represents a significant milestone for Ma’aden and the Saudi mining industry as a whole.
The move comes as part of Saudi Arabia’s broader strategy to reduce its dependence on oil and ramp up its presence in the global battery market. With the increasing demand for lithium in electric car batteries, laptops, and smartphones, Saudi Arabia sees this as a strategic opportunity to position itself as a leading producer of industrial metals.
Manara Minerals, a joint venture between Ma’aden and the Public Investment Fund (PIF), is at the forefront of this initiative. The company is also exploring other opportunities in the mining sector, including investments in copper, iron ore, and nickel abroad.
As Saudi Arabia continues to push forward with its Vision 2030 programme, which aims to diversify the economy and create new sources of revenue, the successful extraction of lithium from seawater by Ma’aden is a promising sign of the kingdom’s growing presence in the global mining industry.
