Over 6,000 participants from more than 50 countries are expected to attend Egypt Mining Forum 2026 on September 28-29 in Cairo, as Egypt seeks to attract more international investment into its underexplored mineral resources and raise mining’s contribution to GDP to 6%.
The fifth edition of the forum, the largest since its launch, will bring together more than 500 conference delegates, 100 speakers and 100 exhibiting companies, according to a press release by media event creator dmg. The event will be held under the patronage of President Abdel Fattah El Sisi and hosted by the Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, with support from the Mineral Resources and Mining Industries Authority (MRMIA).
“Egypt’s objective is clear: to convert mineral potential into investment, discoveries, operating mines and higher-value industries, supporting our ambition for mining to contribute 6% of national GDP. We are building a competitive, integrated sector in which geology, infrastructure, energy and modern regulation create the foundations for investment, while exploration, project development, processing and manufacturing reinforce one another. Egypt Mining Forum will give serious investors direct access to the opportunities and government engagement required to move projects forward,” according to Karim Badawi, Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources.
The ministerial program brings mining and resources ministers from Congo, Ghana, Tanzania and Nigeria together with Egyptian leaders. Confirmed participants include AngloGold Ashanti CEO Alberto Calderon, In2Metals Chairman Naguib Sawiris, ICMM President and CEO Rohitesh Dhawan and Elsewedy Electric President and CEO Ahmed Elsewedy, alongside the World Bank Group, EBRD, African Export-Import Bank, Trafigura, Xcalibur Smart Mapping and Metso.
Yasser Ramadan, MRMIA Chairman, commented on this by saying that “investment decisions depend on credible data, transparent licensing and confidence in the route from exploration to development. MRMIA will use Egypt Mining Forum to engage directly with explorers, mining companies and technical partners on available opportunities, the frameworks governing them and the practical requirements for advancing the next generation of projects.”
The forum will focus on licensing, project financing, joint ventures, mineral processing, technology procurement and investment opportunities, with government-to-business and bilateral meetings forming a central part of the program.
In April 2026, amendments to the executive regulations of Egypt’s Mineral Resources Law tightened licensing procedures, set new rules for state participation in mining ventures, and introduced oversight measures for geological testing laboratories. A new chapter was added to the regulations covering the licensing of rock analysis laboratories. It sets conditions for licensing, operating rules, and inspection requirements. These laboratories are authorized to prepare samples and conduct chemical, physical, mineral, geological, and research tests related to rocks and mineral raw materials.
Egypt’s mineral potential includes 3.1 billion tons of phosphate resources, 660 million tons of iron oxide deposits, and 6.1 billion tons of kaolinitic sand. These resources are supported by existing transport, energy and industrial infrastructure, including 18 commercial ports and the country’s major mining assets and projects.
