Mining event presents investment opportunities for the sector

02/12/2015 08:29 AST

Amid recently discovered mineral deposits and the foreseen increase in bulk mineral exports in Oman’s gateway ports—Sohar Port and Freezone, Port of Duqm and Port of Salalah—there is much opportunity for investment in mineral development, mining and quarrying exploration and operations.

Omanexpo’s first Oman Minerals & Mining Exhibition & Conference, co-organised with Autad Oman in cooperation with the Public Authority for Mining, provides a platform to showcase current industrial projects that will attract local and international mining firms for investment.

Trade visitors saw an exhibition of top local and international mining firms that included main sponsor Kunooz Oman Holding, Port of Duqm, Port of Salalah, Sohar Port and Freezone and WorleyParsons, apart from key private and public companies from Iran, headed by silver sponsor Golgohar Mining and Industrial Co.

Concurrent to the exhibition was a two-day conference, which featured a qualified line-up of 40 local and international speakers representing various segments and companies from the mining sector, among them US Geological Survey, British Geological Survey, Public Authority for Mining, Mawarid Mining and CRU Mining.

The event was opened on Tuesday by Eng. Ahmed bin Hassan Al Dheeb, undersecretary at the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, with keynote speeches by Dr Ali Alrahji of the Public Authority for Mining, Nick Collier of the CRU Group, and MowafaTaib of the US Geological Survey.

In his opening remarks, Dr. Salim Al Busaidi of Autad Oman, said; “More than 300 active mining operations are currently in Oman. From 1996, the production of non-metallic minerals has increased about eightfold. In 2013, exports of mineral products accounted for 33 per cent of Oman’s total non-oil exports.”

“Oman Minerals and Mining Exhibition and Conference has definitely added value to the mining sector by emphasising on the added value mineral commodities and bringing together the local and international expertise and investors to discuss the development, challenges and opportunities in the mining sector,” he added.

Times of Oman