Drilling for Copper: Why the Aramco Maaden Mining Joint Venture Could Change Saudi Exploration

Saudi Aramco and Maaden announced the signing of a shareholders’ agreement to form a joint venture focused on mineral exploration and hard-rock mining in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The planned ownership split is 51% for Maaden and 49% for Aramco. Copper is positioned as a main focus, alongside other minerals described as critical to the energy transition. The companies say the effort is designed to unlock new opportunities for mineral discovery, by combining Aramco’s subsurface knowledge and technology with Maaden’s mining and exploration experience. Plans for this partnership were first disclosed in January 2025.

The exploration footprint is a core part of the strategy. The joint venture would focus on Zone-4, also known as the Transition Zone, within the Arabian Platform. The expected exploration area spans approximately 182,000 square kilometers, described as nearly 10% of Saudi Arabia’s total land area. The zone is also described as a 100-kilometer-wide corridor running parallel to the Arabian Shield. In practical terms, this sets up a sizable search area where the partners aim to progress from broad regional screening to more defined targets and, ultimately, discovery.

What the JV Is Trying to Do Differently in Exploration

The companies are emphasizing speed and precision in how they plan to explore. The joint venture is expected to use advanced computational algorithms, AI tools, and high-performance computing to identify areas most likely to contain copper and other valuable minerals. Aramco says it has accumulated and analyzed more than 90 years of geological and geophysical data through its oil and gas work in the Kingdom, describing it as the largest amount of such data acquired in a single basin for Saudi Arabia. The intent is to leverage that legacy information inside the JV area, alongside Maaden’s exploration and development expertise.

Copper’s role is linked to its use in electric vehicles, power networks, energy storage, and renewable energy systems, which is why it is repeatedly highlighted as a primary target. The JV would also explore for other energy transition minerals including zinc, lead, and rare earth elements. One source adds broader market context, stating that copper accounts for more than 20% of the $1.2 trillion global mined metals market. The same reporting says the copper market is currently valued at approximately $250 billion and is projected to grow to over $400 billion by 2035.

For Saudi Arabia, the timing ties directly to national ambitions for mining and diversification. Arab News reports the Kingdom’s mineral wealth is estimated at more than SR9.3 trillion ($2.5 trillion). It also notes that Saudi Arabia has identified extracting copper, gold, and rare earth elements as part of diversification efforts under Vision 2030, while aiming to increase mining’s contribution to GDP to SR240 billion. Within that context, the Aramco Maaden mining joint venture is framed as a mechanism to expand exploration and develop domestic mineral value chains, anchored by a defined Zone-4 search area and technology-heavy targeting methods.