Supporting responsible mining development in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia is accelerating the development of its mining sector as part of the broader economic diversification strategy contained within Saudi Vision 2030, which focusses on identifying investment opportunities and using incentives to attract local and international investors. As the kingdom seeks to reduce the percentage of its GDP originating from hydrocarbons, mining is being positioned as a key contributor to long-term economic growth. Indeed the recent announcement that the Saudi Minister of Energy will now also take on the portfolio of Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources demonstrates this alignment. Expansion of Saudi Arabia’s mining sector strategically targets the burgeoning global demand for mineral resources, in particular battery minerals, which are set to play a pivotal role in the global green energy transition this century.
While its mining sector is expanding, with the exploration budget increasing from $21 million in 2022 to $146 million in 2025, Saudi Arabia remains an emerging mining jurisdiction. Regulatory frameworks, particularly in relation to environmental, social and cultural heritage considerations, are still developing. This creates a need for early-stage advisory and technical support to ensure projects are aligned with evolving requirements and are future-proofed against environmental and social risks.
Within this context, RSK has secured its first mining sector project in Saudi Arabia in Q2-2026, marking an important step in its support for responsible development of this strategic sector for the kingdom.
Project overview
The project has been commissioned by a Saudi mining company undertaking gold exploration across two sites located in Mecca and Aseer provinces. RSK Group’s Saudi Arabia entity, RSK Environmental Consulting Company, holds the contract, while leading UK-based archaeology business Headland Archaeology (an RSK company) is the technical specialist subcontractor. This is a great example of the RSK Group offering an integrated ‘one-stop-shop’ to clients.
The scope of the project focuses on cultural heritage and archaeological risk screening to support future exploration and development activities. The work is scheduled to be delivered over approximately six months in 2026.
Scope of services
The work involves a structured assessment of the potential cultural heritage risks associated with the proposed mining exploration drilling activities.
The first stage comprises a desk-based review of existing information sources, including available archaeological and heritage records. This is undertaken to identify any known sites or areas of potential sensitivity within the project footprint, and to establish an initial understanding of risk.
This is followed by field-based verification, in which specialists from Headland Archaeology undertake site visits to confirm the findings of the desk study. This includes identifying any previously unrecorded features and assessing on-the-ground conditions.
Based on these inputs, a detailed risk assessment will be prepared, evaluating the potential impact of the proposed mining activities on identified heritage assets. The findings are then consolidated into a technical report, which sets out the level of risk and, where required, recommendations for mitigation.
Supporting regulatory alignment
A key deliverable of the project is RSK supporting the client’s liaison with the archaeology and cultural heritage regulator, the Saudi Heritage Commission, to gain the necessary approvals.
At this stage in the development of the Saudi mining sector, regulatory requirements are continuing to evolve. As frameworks are further defined and implemented, regulatory body expectations around environmental, social and archaeological compliance in the mining sector are expected to increase. Early-stage screening and assessment work of this nature therefore plays an important role in supporting our clients to align with both current and anticipated regulatory requirements. It enables potential constraints to be identified in advance, supports informed decision-making, and future-proofs projects by reducing the risk of delays during later stages of development.
RSK’s role in this project includes both technical delivery and advisory support, assisting the client in navigating a changing regulatory environment.
Integrated capability
This project demonstrates the breadth of capability across the RSK Group. In addition to environmental services, RSK provides specialist expertise in social and cultural disciplines, including heritage and archaeology.
Through collaboration with Headland Archaeology, RSK is able to deliver a coordinated approach to cultural heritage management as part of wider environmental and social assessment processes. This integrated model supports efficient project delivery and provides clients with a single point of coordination across multiple technical disciplines.
Applying global experience
RSK Group has extensive experience supporting mining developments across Africa, Latin America and Australia.
This experience directly informs RSK’s approach to supporting mining clients in Saudi Arabia, enabling the application of established methodologies while adapting these to local regulatory and cultural contexts. As the Saudi mining sector continues to develop, this combination of global experience and local delivery capability will become increasingly relevant, and required.
Positioning for growth
The mining sector in Saudi Arabia is expected to expand significantly in the coming years. Efforts are accelerating under Saudi Vision 2030, as the kingdom’s total mineral wealth potential has been valued at over $2.5 trillion. As projects progress and regulatory frameworks mature, the demand for environmental, social and cultural heritage services will increase.
By securing this initial contract, RSK has established a presence in this exciting developing market, and is demonstrating its ability to support clients through the early stages of project development.
RSK is well positioned to provide a full range of environmental, social and cultural heritage services to mining clients in Saudi Arabia, ensuring projects are both compliant and responsible.