The Ministry of Energy and Minerals of the Sultanate has concluded two huge mining concession agreements in Muscat that entail exploration worth OMR 6 million ($15.4 million). These agreements cover a total area of 1,687 sq km, indicating that there is an attempt to expand the country’s search for minerals and manufacture downstream products under Oman Vision 2040.
The signing ceremony was performed by the Minister of Energy and Minerals, Salim bin Nasir Al Aufi, and representatives from Emaar Mining Company and Gulf Royal Minerals and Energy Company. The concession holders have been mandated to perform certain technical investigations on the ground. The preliminary phase, scheduled to run for two years and three months, mandates detailed geochemical evaluation, satellite remote sensing, surface trenching, and exploratory drilling to evaluate local mineral potential.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, Al Aufi emphasized that government policy has pivoted from preliminary surveying toward building an integrated supply chain. The Ministry aims to streamline the transition of active concessions from exploratory mapping directly into commercial extraction. This localized model seeks to maximize domestic value addition by feeding raw output straight into domestic processing facilities rather than exporting unprocessed rock.
The Sultanate’s mining strategy has gained strong momentum following the issuance of 28 concession licenses targeting metallic and industrial deposits such as copper, chromite, gypsum, and silica. Government reforms, including the deployment of digital transaction portals and institutional oversight via the Oman Mineral Trading Company, helped lift national mining revenues by nearly 39 percent in 2025.
Beyond boosting raw mineral output, these strategic investments aim to generate skilled technical employment for Omani citizens while attracting foreign capital into downstream industrial zones across the Sultanate.
Looking ahead, economic officials anticipate further fiscal returns as major extraction ventures near commercial launch, notably the flagship Mazoon Copper Mine scheduled to begin operational output next year.
