Riyadh, January 11, 2023, SPA -- The first day of the 2nd edition of the Future Minerals Forum, which is being organized by the Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources, under the patronage of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, witnessed the signing ceremony of 25 cooperation agreements and memorandums of understanding between a number of government agencies, companies and institutions participating at the forum. The signing ceremony was attended by Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman, Minister of Energy; Eng. Khalid Al-Falih, Minister of Investment; Bandar Al-Khorayef, Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources; and Khalid Al-Mudaifer, Vice-Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources for Mining Affairs. These agreements and memorandums of understanding included the areas of mineral exploration, technology, and communications, application of sustainability standards, localization and rehabilitation, and industrialization in the minerals sector. The signing ceremony also witnessed the handing over of the two exploration licenses for Khnaiguiyah and Umm Al-Damar sites to the companies that won their licenses. The participating entities in the signing ceremony were the Ministry of Energy, the Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources, the Saudi Geological Survey (SGS), Ma’aden Company, the Saline Water Conversion Corporation (SWCC), King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology, King Saud University, the Royal Commission for Jubail and Yanbu, Saudi Aramco, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, the Federation of Saudi Chambers, and the Industrial Center. The signing ceremony also witnessed the participation of several local and international companies. --SPA 21:21 LOCAL TIME 18:21 GMT 0043 www.spa.gov.sa/w1838754