Copper Production on the Rise in Oman

Key copper mining projects across Oman are progressing rapidly, positioning the country as an emerging producer of this critical metal amidst the global energy transition.

On Thursday, Al Hadeetha Resources – an Omani-Australian joint venture – announced the successful shipment of its second concentrate of copper from its newly commissioned Al Washihi Majeeza mine in Oman’s North Al Sharqiyah Governorate.

This shipment contained 174 metric tonnes (MT) of copper, representing a 25% increase from the maiden shipment’s 139 MT. Additionally, around 11.5 kilograms of associated gold were also recovered between the two shipments, opening up a new revenue stream for the mine.

Al Hadeetha Resources, which is 51% owned by Australian mining company Alara Resources, welcomed the commencement of cash flow from copper and gold sales in a statement. Trafigura, the global commodities group, is the offtake partner for the copper concentrate for an initial period of eight years from the start of production.

The Al Washihi Majeeza project is one of several copper mines being readied for commercialization. With these mines coming online over the next one to two years, Oman’s position as a global copper producer is set to strengthen, with potential for increased investment in downstream refining, copper alloying, and other value-added industries.

Oman Mining Company (OMC), a subsidiary of the Oman Investment Authority’s (OIA) mining arm, is at the forefront of this new copper production drive. Three major copper mining projects are advancing with MDO support in various locations across northern Oman.

MDO-backed projects include the significant Mazen Copper Mine, which is developing a copper ore project in the Wilayat of Yanqul in Al Dhahirah Governorate. This concession, covering an area of 19.8 square kilometers, hosts five mines with copper ore reserves estimated at 22.9 million tonnes.

According to details published by the Ministry of Energy and Minerals in its 2023 Annual Report, the Final Investment Decision (FID) taken in February 2023 effectively signaled the green light for project execution. Actual construction activities commenced in February of this year, marking the start of a 30-month implementation period.

In North Batinah Governorate, OMC is developing the Al Aseel and Al Bayda mines in Block 4, which host an estimated 2.78 million tonnes of copper ore. MDO’s parent company has contracted local mining firm Mawarid Mining to process the copper ore at its Wadi Al Jizzi processing plant. Groundbreaking for the Block 4 mines took place earlier this year.

MDO is also preparing to bring the Al Ghuzayn copper mine in the Wilayat of Al Khabourah into production, targeting over 6 million tonnes of copper ore, according to the ministry’s annual report. This copper ore will also be processed at the Wadi Al Jizzi concentrator plant.

Source: Copper Production on the Rise in Oman – Oman Observer