U.S. and Saudi Arabia Collaborate on Rare Earths Supply Chain

On May 14, 2025, MP Materials and Saudi Arabia’s state mining giant Ma’aden signed a landmark memorandum of understanding (MoU) to jointly build a fully integrated rare earth elements (REE) supply chain in Saudi Arabia. The agreement, formalized during the U.S.-Saudi Investment Forum 2025 in Riyadh, outlines plans to establish capabilities across mining, separation, refining, and magnet production. This initiative is a core component of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, aiming to diversify the Kingdom’s economy beyond oil while also addressing the global overreliance on China for critical minerals essential to clean technology and defense systems