RIYADH: Oman has signed two agreements to develop mining concession areas spanning 1,687 sq. km, with total exploration investments estimated at around 6 million Omani rials ($15.4 million).
The Ministry of Energy and Minerals signed the deals with Emaar Mining Co. and Gulf Royal Minerals and Energy Co. respectively, which cover mining areas across the Sultanate and support efforts to expand mineral exploration and develop the country’s mining sector, state-run Oman News Agency reported.
Oman has expanded investment opportunities in mining as it seeks to increase the sector’s contribution to economic diversification. In September 2025, the Ministry of Energy and Minerals offered four concession areas totaling 8,748 sq. km to local and international investors, with potential deposits including copper, gold, silver and chromite.
The government is also moving to develop mineral resources into larger-scale production initiatives. The Shuwaymiyah minerals project in Shalim and Al Hallaniyat Islands, for example, targets annual production of 40 million tonnes of limestone, gypsum and dolomite, according to the Oman Vision 2040 Implementation Follow-up Unit.
Agreements details
The newly released ONA statement said the agreement with Emaar Mining Co. targets the development of “Concession Area 51-B,” located in the Ad Dakhiliyah and Al Wusta Governorates and spanning 1,050 sq. km, with exploration investments estimated at approximately $6.2 million.
It added: “The exploration program for this area spans two years and three months in its initial phase, involving topographic, geophysical, and remote sensing surveys; geochemical and physical analyses; and exploratory drilling and trenching operations.”
The agreement with Gulf Royal Minerals and Energy Co. covers “Concession Area 25-E,” located in the South Al Sharqiyah Governorate, with an area of approximately 637 sq. km and exploration investments estimated at around $9.2 million.
Reforms yielding results
Oman’s Minister of Energy and Minerals, Salim bin Nasir bin Said Al-Aufi, said the signing of the mining concession agreements for Areas 51-B and 25-E builds on the ministry’s efforts to create investment opportunities, expand mineral exploration and develop a pipeline of projects that can progress from exploration to production.
The next phase will focus on accelerating the transition from exploration findings to productive projects and increasing the local value of mineral resources through manufacturing and downstream industries.
He said Oman’s minerals sector has undergone significant changes to its investment and regulatory frameworks over the past five years, during which 28 mining concession areas were awarded for the exploration and development of minerals including copper, chrome, and gypsum, as well as limestone, dolomite, silica and salts.
The minister said the reforms are already reflected in the sector’s economic performance, with mineral revenues rising about 39 percent in 2025 from the previous year, supported by increased activity and copper ore entering production.
He added that the continued progression of concession areas from exploration to development and production, alongside the launch of new projects such as the Mazoon Copper Mine next year, is expected to boost revenues, expand mineral value chains and local content, and strengthen the sector’s contribution to economic diversification under Oman Vision 2040.
