Blitz Bureau
Oman has announced a significant milestone with the first shipment of copper concentrates, marking the resumption of copper export from the sultanate after a 30-year break.
Approximately 900 tonnes of copper concentrates were shipped from the Lasail mine in Sohar, being developed by Minerals Development Oman (MDO The project marks a crucial step in the nation’s economic diversification efforts. The milestone carries particular historical weight, as the region boasts a 3,000-year legacy of copper mining, including operations by the Oman Mining Company since 1983.
“The export of the first shipment from the Lasail mine is a testament to our ability to transform challenges into tangible opportunities for growth,” Matar bin Salem Al-Badi, CEO of MDO, said in a press release The Lasail mine is projected to produce high-grade copper concentrates with 18 per cent to 22 per cent purity levels, with an estimated annual production capacity of 500,000 tonnes of copper ore.
This operation represents just the beginning of MDO’s broader vision for copper mining in the region. Looking ahead, MDO plans to expand operations with the launch of the Al-Baydha mine in Liwa by 2025-2026. The two mines combined hold reserves of approximately 2.78 million tonnes of copper ore, with the initial redevelopment phase expected to last four to five years.
The company is also conducting exploratory studies in surrounding areas to increase copper reserves and is developing the Mazoon project, which is set to become Oman’s largest integrated copper concentrate production initiative.
