Oman’s Ministry of Energy and Minerals has signed two agreements to develop mining concession areas covering a combined 1,687 square kilometres, with planned exploration investments of about RO6 million ($15.4 million).

The first agreement covers Concession Area 51-B, spanning 1,050 square kilometres across A’Dakhiliyah and Al Wusta governorates, with exploration investments estimated at $6.2 million.

Its initial two-year-and-three-month programme will include topographic, geophysical and remote-sensing surveys, geochemical and physical analyses, drilling and exploratory trenching.

The second agreement covers Concession Area 25-E in South A’Sharqiyah Governorate, extending over about 637 square kilometres and attracting an estimated $9.2 million in exploration investment.

Activities will include geological and geophysical surveys, remote sensing, geochemical and physical analyses, drilling and exploratory trenching to assess the area’s mineral potential.

The agreements were signed on behalf of the ministry by Minister of Energy and Minerals Salim Al Aufi.

Al Aufi said the agreements form part of government efforts to expand mineral exploration, create investment opportunities and develop projects capable of moving from exploration to production.

He said the next phase will focus on accelerating the conversion of exploration results into productive projects and increasing the domestic value of mineral resources through manufacturing and processing industries.

Over the past five years, Oman has awarded 28 mining concession areas targeting minerals including copper, chromite, gypsum, limestone, dolomite, silica and salts.

The ministry has also strengthened the sector’s regulatory and investment environment, including occupational health and safety standards, the establishment of Oman Mineral Trading Company and the digitalisation of mining transactions and services.

These measures have begun to boost the sector’s performance. Mineral-sector revenues increased by about 39 per cent in 2025 from the previous year, alongside expanding activity and the start of copper ore production.

Al Aufi said the progression of concession areas into development and production, including the Mazoon Copper Mine, expected to enter production next year, should further increase revenues, expand mineral value chains and strengthen the sector’s contribution to economic diversification under Oman Vision 2040. -TradeArabia News Service