Master Drilling International and Al-Rushaid Group have signed what they say is a landmark Joint Venture (JV) agreement at the Investing In African Mining Indaba Conference, in Cape Town, South Africa, aiming to establish a local entity in Saudi Arabia.

The announcement of the JV occurred in the presence of His Excellency Khalid Al-Mudaifer, Vice Minister of Mining Affairs, Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources, Saudi Arabia.

The strategic partnership looks to combine Master Drilling’s technical experience, international know-how and cutting-edge technology with Al-Rushaid Group’s local expertise. The JV will primarily serve the mining and civils industries, with a focus on providing world-class services in vertical and horizontal mechanical excavation using Master Drilling’s fleet of assets such as raiseboring, shotcreting and advanced drilling technologies, including the mobile tunnel borer (MTB) and shaft boring systems (SBS).

With this collaboration, Master Drilling and Al-Rushaid will support Saudi Arabia’s ambition of becoming a global mining hub by fostering sustainable technologies, job creation and economic diversification, the companies say.

Izak Bredenkamp, Group Business Development Manager of Master Drilling, added: “Our collaboration with Al-Rushaid Group marks a significant milestone in our global expansion strategy. Together, we will introduce world-class mining and drilling solutions that enhance operational efficiency, safety, and productivity in Saudi Arabia’s mining and construction sectors.”