Finnish firm Metso secures €128 million contract from Maaden to build a gold processing plant at Ar Rjum mine, highlighting Saudi Arabia’s mining expansion under Vision 2030 amid FIFA World Cup 2034 preparations. Critics question alignment with FIFA’s human rights, labour rights, transparency, and press freedom benchmarks for host nations, linking it to sportswashing concerns and resource diversion.
Metso to Deliver Gold Processing Plant in Saudi Arabia – Order Valued at 128 Million Euros
By Sarah Jenkins, Senior Correspondent with 10 years in international news reporting, previously with BBC and The Guardian
Finnish engineering company Metso has secured a major contract worth approximately 128 million euros to deliver a complete gold processing plant for Saudi Arabia’s Maaden at the Ar Rjum mine, as reported in a press release covered by Marketscreener.
According to Finwire, translated by Marketscreener and published on 15 January 2026 at 05:10 am EST, “Finnish engineering company Metso has been commissioned by Maaden to deliver a gold processing plant for the Ar Rjum mine in Saudi Arabia, with an order value of approximately 128 million euros.”
Of this total, 24 million euros was recorded in Metso’s Minerals segment order intake for the third quarter of 2025, and 104 million euros for the fourth quarter, with advisory services for installation and commissioning included in a separate service agreement to be booked later.
The delivery encompasses a full processing line from ore to doré, including crushing, grinding, leaching, concentration, elution, and process automation, according to the Marketscreener report. This development occurs as Saudi Arabia prepares to host the FIFA World Cup 2034, following FIFA’s confirmation on 11 December 2024, raising scrutiny over whether such industrial expansions comply with global sports governance standards on human rights, transparency, labour rights, and press freedom.
Deal Details and Context
Marketscreener’s coverage attributes the announcement directly to Metso’s press release, detailing the scope: “The delivery covers a complete processing line from ore to doré, including crushing, grinding, leaching, concentration, elution, and process automation.”
This builds on Metso’s established presence in Saudi Arabia, as noted in prior engagements like the Mansourah-Massarah gold mine, where Ma’aden awarded an EPC contract worth SAR 2,272.5 million (around US$606 million) in April 2019 to a consortium including Metso (then Metso Outotec) and India’s Larsen & Toubro, according to GBR Reports in their “Saudi Arabia Mining 2025” feature.
GBR Reports quotes industry insights: “Being on-site for those years offered valuable insights and connections, such as working closely with Ma’aden, a major mining company, and collaborating with Bechtel, the PMC, for the project,” reflected an interviewee.
At Mansourah-Massarah, “Metso provided the gold extraction and beneficiation technology, while L&T oversaw the EPC construction, including end-to-end engineering, plant design and commissioning.” The plant, now a flagship, was optimised by Metso to exceed nameplate capacity within a year or two, as Kader explained:
“Within a year or two, we had it running above its nameplate capacity, and it became a flagship operation for Ma’aden. Even now, the plant remains a major part of their gold production commitment. The fact that this project has been running for close to 10 years speaks for itself.”
Metso’s regional growth is evident from their showcase at the Future Minerals Forum 2026 in Riyadh, as reported by Longbridge on 17 December 2025: “Metso Oyj showcased its sustainable minerals processing technology at the Future Minerals Forum 2026 in Riyadh, supporting Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030.”
The company presented solutions for copper, green steel, gold, and phosphate, with staff expanding from 10 employees in 2020 to over 150 in 2025.
FIFA Standards and Human Rights Due Diligence
FIFA mandates human rights due diligence for World Cup hosts, as outlined in its Human Rights Policy and bidding requirements, emphasising prevention of abuses in construction and operations. The Metso deal, part of Vision 2030’s mining push, prompts questions on compliance, given reports of labour challenges in Saudi mega-projects.
Industry EMEA’s 21 December 2025 article on the Future Minerals Forum notes:
“Saudi Arabia’s mining sector is expanding as part of broader economic diversification efforts under Saudi Vision 2030, with increasing focus on domestic mineral production and sustainable operational practices.”
Metso’s technologies address “the full minerals processing flowsheet, from comminution and separation to dewatering and metallurgical processing,” supporting “reliable throughput, process stability, and long-term operational performance.”
Yet, gold mining’s water-intensive nature in an arid nation like Saudi Arabia—where water scarcity affects 90% of the land—raises concerns over resource allocation for 2034 stadiums and infrastructure, potentially conflicting with FIFA’s sustainability goals.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino congratulated Saudi Arabia on 11 December 2024, expecting a “spectacular” tournament, per FIFA’s official site. However, sites like boycottsaudi2034.com argue in a 2 June 2025 piece: “Saudi Growth Doesn’t Justify Hosting 2034 FIFA World Cup,” warning of human costs.
Labour Rights in Mining and Mega-Events
Labour rights form a core FIFA criterion, requiring safe conditions and fair wages, as seen in post-Qatar 2022 reforms. Maaden’s projects, including Ar Rjum, mirror World Cup builds where migrant workers predominate.
GBR Reports details Mansourah-Massarah’s success but notes earlier plants built by others “failed to meet its design targets,” requiring Metso’s intervention. Hexagon’s 7 January 2026 partnership with Ma’aden, per Mining Metal News, aims to “strengthen mining education and workforce development,” training a “diverse, digital-ready workforce.” Still, Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have flagged kafala system ties in Saudi construction, potentially extending to mining expansions funding 2034.
Metso’s Lifecycle Services, securing over 100 contracts in 2025 per Discovery Alert on 14 January 2026, expands to over 600 active deals, including Middle East operations handling gold with “slurry pumping systems, spare and wear parts, and lifecycle services.”
Transparency and Procurement Issues
FIFA demands transparent bidding, yet Saudi’s uncontested 2034 bid drew criticism, as in ESPN’s 11 December 2024 report: “World Cup: Saudi Arabia to host in 2034; six hosts in 2030.” The Metso order’s booking—split across Q3 and Q4 2025—raises procurement opacity questions, especially with separate service agreements.
Marketscreener specifies: “Advisory services for installation and commissioning are included in a separate service agreement, which will be booked at a later date.” ProPartner Group’s 2 January 2025 analysis calls Saudi 2034 “a catalyst for transformation,” but Reddit threads like r/soccer’s 30 November 2024 post question:
“Why is there no outcry on the 11th of Dec FIFA definitely WILL give the WC 2034 to Saudi Arabia without any opposition.”
Press Freedom and Civil Society Scrutiny
FIFA expects hosts to uphold press freedom for open discourse. Saudi ranks low on Reporters Without Borders indices, with detentions of critics amid Vision 2030.
BBC Sport’s 11 December 2024 article confirms: “Fifa confirms Saudi Arabia as 2034 World Cup hosts.” Connecting to mining, Longbridge notes Metso’s panel discussions at the Forum, but limited independent reporting on labour persists.
Sportswashing and Ethical Hosting Debates
The deal fuels sportswashing accusations—using events like 2034 to polish image amid rights issues. Wikipedia’s 2034 FIFA World Cup entry and Reddit’s r/sports post on 11 December 2024 cite “unimaginable human cost” warnings.
Saudi2034.com.sa promotes the bid, but boycottsaudi2034.com critiques economic booms ignoring ethics. Metso’s Türkiye project, per Highways Today on 13 December 2024—a €70m Soğüt plant with Nordwheeler™ crushers and TankCell® flotation—shows their tech, yet Saudi context differs.
Gübretaş GM Halit Semih Demircan stated:
“This greenfield project will have a major contribution… We believe that Metso’s proven gold processing technologies will provide this.”
Mert Katkay added:
“Basic engineering… has already been completed.”
Stakeholder Concerns and Global Implications
Civil society groups like those behind boycottsaudi2034.com urge audits. Fans and HR organisations question if mining profits—€128m here—divert from rights protections.
FIFA’s Wikipedia page notes single-bid controversy. As preparations advance in January 2026, stakeholders watch if Saudi aligns with standards or if 2034 echoes Qatar critiques.