The Ministry of Energy and Minerals has signed two mining concession agreements today: one with Al Hadeetha Resources for area 22-B and another with AL Barakah For Petrochemical Salts for area 62-A.
The first agreement, for concession area 22-B, was signed by H.E. Eng. Salim Al Aufi, Minister of Energy and Minerals, and Sayyid Khalid Hamad Saif Al Busaidi, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Al Hadeetha Resources. This concession, spanning 1,448 square kilometers in North Al Sharqiyah Governorate, marks a significant milestone. Al Hadeetha Resources, a pioneering Omani entity with international partnerships, has secured the first license to mine copper in the Sultanate of Oman at the Al Washi-Al Majaz  site in the Wilayat of Al Mudhaibi. Extensive exploration has revealed over 16 million tons of copper resources within this area, with mineable reserves exceeding 10 million tons, as per international standards. The initial three-year exploration phase outlined in the agreement encompasses a comprehensive program of topographical, geophysical, and remote sensing surveys, geological mapping, geochemical analysis, and an extensive drilling campaign comprising approximately 27 boreholes with a combined depth of 4,000 meters.
The second agreement, for concession area 62-A, was signed by H.E. Eng. Salim Nasser Al-Aufi, and Dr. Abdul Redha Mohammed Harmati , CEO of AL Barakah For Petrochemical Salts. Located in Ad-Dakhiliyah Governorate, this 46 square kilometer concession area will focus on extracting salt from the Al Lakbi area through seawater evaporation, with an expected annual production of 4 million tons at an estimated investment of $29 million.
The agreement anticipates the establishment of several industrial projects, including a plant for washing and refining industrial salt, a plant for washing and refining edible salt, a magnesium compounds production plant, a sodium sulfate plant, a bromine compounds production plant, and a lithium compounds production plant.
His Excellency Eng. Salim Nasser Al-Aufi, Minister of Energy and Minerals, emphasized that the agreements signed with Al Hadeetha Resources and Al Barakah Company represent significant steps towards maximizing the value of local resources and fostering social responsibility by creating economic opportunities and positively impacting the lives of citizens, aligning with the goals of sustainable development and supporting the national economy.
His Excellency highlighted that the ministry continues its efforts to bolster the mining sector as a cornerstone of economic diversification in the Sultanate of Oman. He noted that the ministry has signed 21 exploration and mining concession agreements and 2 agreements for seawater salt production in recent times, with a total committed investment of approximately $86 million. To date, approximately $46 million has been invested in exploration activities, including drilling wells up to 500 meters deep and conducting geophysical and geochemical surveys. Additionally, the ministry has launched 6 new concession areas through the 'Taqa' digital services platform, targeting various minerals such as copper, chromium, nickel, silica, gabbro, and kaolin, thus enhancing local content and supporting downstream industries.
His Excellency further emphasized that these efforts aim to localize downstream industries by integrating upstream mining activities. This will bolster vital sectors such as manufacturing, trade, transportation, and ports. He underscored the ministry's commitment to developing Omani capabilities through specialized training programs for Omani youth and supporting SMEs to capitalize on large-scale mining projects by providing logistical services or forming partnerships for processing minerals and utilizing them in secondary industries.