MUSCAT: Oman’s mining sector foresees notable growth in the next few years, following the discovery of sizeable reserves of minerals, gold, copper and rare earths, which will significantly boost mining activities and attract investment to the Sultanate.
Plans are underway to set up mineral processing and refining facilities in the Port of Duqm’s industrial zone mining cluster, according to a press release.
Oman’s largest mining group, the Kunooz Group of companies, which comprises Al Rawas Mining Company, Mihwar Al Wifaq, Majan Mining Company, Al Rawas Marble & Granite, Salalah Readymix and Al Rawas Transport, Machinery Hiring & Trading, and two associates Majan Mining and Carmeuse Majan,will showcase its products, services and projects at the Oman Minerals & Mining Exhibition & Conference.
Al Rawas Mining Company mines and exports gypsum to the global market and is currently evaluating downstream value add products such as POP and gypsum board; Mihwar Al Wifaq mines and sells gabbro aggregates and sand in and around Muscat for the road and construction industry; Al Rawas Marble & Granite supplies cut and polished Omani marble in the form of slabs, tiles, steps and raises as well as specially ordered cut to size products to the local and international markets.
Similarly, Salalah Readymix provides local readymix concrete blocks curbstones and crushed sand and stone in Salalah, Taqah and Mirbat; and Al Rawas Transport, Machinery Hiring & Trading provides transport services for its projects and moves for various customers’ food and equipment between Salalah and Muscat and a number of the key ports across Oman.
Omanexpo’s first edition of Oman Minerals & Mining Exhibition and Conference, supported by the Public Authority for Mining, is scheduled from December 1 to 3. The exhibition, which will feature about 100 companies representing segments that range from mining exploration and equipment, building material, engineering and construction, information technology, and mineral resources to logistics, will take place at the Oman International Exhibition Centre in concurrence with the two-day conference, which will be held at the Golden Tulip Hotel Seeb.
In its bid to play a central role in the government’s economic diversification strategy to reduce oil dependence and to increase awareness about its mining and downstream capacity, apart from providing value to a comprehensive show of international exhibits, Kunooz Oman Holdings has enhanced its role and involvement in the event by being its main sponsor.
“Oman Minerals & Mining Exhibition & Conference is our way of contributing to the sustainable growth path for the mining industry in Oman. This comes in the heels of the government’s recent reforms and new legislation that will increase value addition and build Oman’s domestic minerals value chain,” said Indrajeet Kumar, project manager, Oman Minerals & Mining Exhibition & Conference.
“We are pleased to welcome Kunooz Oman Holding to the event, which we see, is a healthy starting point in helping to develop the industry,” he added.
Omanexpo is the pioneer and leading organizer of high-profileand highly targeted trade exhibitions and conferences that support the continued growth of Oman’s major industries.
Times of Oman
