The Future Minerals Forum (FMF) in Saudi Arabia has rapidly established itself as a cornerstone event for the global mining industry. For the second year in a row, STRYDE exhibited at the event and had the opportunity to engage with industry leaders, decision-makers, and innovators, gaining insights into the Kingdom’s ambitious transformation efforts, advancements in seismic technology for hard rock geology, and the increasing focus on sustainability within the mining sector.
STRYDE’s Nick Tranter shares his key takeaways from the event:

The Continued Push for the Kingdom’s Vision 2030
Saudi Arabia is making bold strides toward realizing its Vision 2030, with the mining sector being positioned as the third pillar of its economy alongside oil and petrochemicals. The Kingdom’s government is heavily investing in the sector while implementing regulatory reforms to attract international interest and support this transformation.
A significant highlight of this vision is the government’s commitment to global collaboration, as evidenced by the signing of 126 Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) and agreements at FMF, collectively valued at $28.5 billion. This underscores Saudi Arabia’s determination to become a global leader in the mining industry.
From STRYDE’s perspective, the mining sector’s adoption of oil and gas exploration techniques, including reflection seismic acquisition heavily used by Saudi Aramco, represents a transformative shift in exploration methodologies. This commitment to innovation and adoption of new methodologies was further reinforced by His Excellency Bandar Ibrahim Alkhorayef, the Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources, visiting the STRYDE team during the event to understand more about how reflective seismic and the latest technologies can benefit the Kingdom’s dedication to advancing mineral exploration at pace.

Seismic in Hard Rock Geology: A Key Discussion Point
As exploration continues across the Arabian Shield, reflection seismic is gaining traction as an effective tool for hard rock geology—a field that has historically presented unique challenges. While seismic methods have long been a staple in sedimentary basins for hydrocarbon exploration, adapting these techniques for hard rock terrains requires significant innovation.

Recent advancements in survey modelling, data acquisition design, processing, imaging, and interpretation have made high-resolution seismic data increasingly viable for mineral exploration. STRYDE has been at the forefront of this evolution, and showcased several high-density seismic concepts and case studies for mining exploration during the event that illustrated its effectiveness in hard rock environments. These innovations are poised to unlock new opportunities for exploration in the region’s complex geological formations.
Driving Sustainability in Mining
Sustainability continues to be a central theme in the global mining industry, and this year’s FMF placed a strong emphasis on environmentally responsible operations. STRYDE’s reputation for enabling sustainable seismic survey operations—including lean crew sizes, fewer vehicles, reduced health, safety, security, and environmental (HSSE) risks, and minimal CO2 emissions—aligns with this growing priority.
A key focus at the event was the need to adapt operations to environmentally sensitive areas. Minimizing the time spent surveying these regions has become critical for obtaining project approvals. STRYDE’s advanced seismic acquisition technology and innovative survey designs has proven on over 50 mining projects to offer mining companies the tools to navigate stringent environmental regulations while maintaining efficiency and precision.

Conclusion
The Future Minerals Forum once again highlighted Saudi Arabia’s pivotal role in shaping the future of the mining sector.
From leveraging seismic technology to advance hard rock exploration to championing sustainable practices, STRYDE’s contributions to these discussions demonstrate the company’s commitment to innovation and environmental stewardship.
As the Kingdom continues its journey toward Vision 2030, STRYDE remains well-positioned to support the mining industry in overcoming its most pressing challenges while driving meaningful progress.