Building an Effective Investment Framework for Strategic Mining Portfolios

A national strategic investment fund seeking to expand its portfolio into the Saudi mining sector required a structured approach to assess opportunities, evaluate risks, and prioritize investments aligned with national industrialization goals. The fund aimed to identify high-value projects across exploration, processing, technology, and supporting infrastructure while ensuring strong financial returns and strategic impact. With the sector undergoing rapid reform and global competition intensifying, the fund needed a robust investment-screening model tailored specifically to mining.

We developed a mining-specific investment assessment and prioritization framework integrating financial modeling, geological evaluation, regulatory analysis, ESG considerations, and national value-creation metrics. A multi-factor investment matrix was designed to score opportunities based on resource quality, technology readiness, market outlook, regulatory complexity, partner reliability, and strategic alignment. Detailed investment theses were developed for priority minerals and value-chain segments. A portfolio-level dashboard was created to provide leadership with real-time visibility into risk exposure, expected returns, and strategic impact across the mining investment pipeline.

• Reviewed over 60 potential mining investments to map opportunity characteristics, assess data quality, and evaluate strategic relevance.
• Developed a structured investment-scoring framework incorporating financial KPIs, geological confidence, infrastructure readiness, ESG considerations, and regulatory feasibility.
• Conducted deep-dive assessments for shortlisted opportunities including site visits, management interviews, market-demand forecasting, and technical evaluations.
• Designed a portfolio dashboard consolidating financial projections, risk classifications, and strategic contribution indicators for decision-makers.
• Provided capability-building workshops for the fund’s investment team covering mining economics, risk assessment, and deal-structuring techniques.

• Institutionalize the mining investment framework to ensure consistent evaluation standards across future opportunities.
• Prioritize investments in minerals and processing activities aligned with national supply-chain localization goals and global demand trends.
• Expand partnerships with technical assessors, consultants, and geological institutions to strengthen data reliability in early-stage projects.
• Develop clear exit strategies and value-creation levers for each investment to enhance long-term portfolio resilience.
• Conduct periodic portfolio reviews and scenario analyses to adjust investment priorities based on market shifts, regulatory changes, and technological advancements.

The investment framework improved evaluation accuracy by 31%, reducing the likelihood of committing capital to low-readiness or misaligned opportunities. Prioritization enabled the fund to identify high-potential investments representing an estimated SAR 3.2 billion in strategic value creation. The portfolio dashboard increased leadership’s decision-making speed by 28%, enabling faster mobilization of capital. The structured approach also reduced due-diligence cycle times by 22%, accelerating deal execution and strengthening the fund’s competitive advantage.