China leading destination for Omani copper concentrate exports
Published: 02:10 PM,Oct 30,2024 | EDITED : 06:10 PM,Oct 30,2024
Improvements in Al Hadeetha’s copper-gold processing plant have boosted copper metal recovery by up to 10%.
MUSCAT, OCT 30
After a hiatus of nearly two decades, copper mining activities are picking up pace again in the Sultanate of Oman, fuelled by the government’s economic diversification drive, and an investment-friendly regulatory framework formulated by the Ministry of Energy and Minerals to support the commercialization of the country’s mineral resources.
On Tuesday, Al Hadeetha Resources – an Omani-Australian JV – announced the shipment of its sixth consignment of copper ore concentrates, blended with gold ore, from its Al Wash-hi Majaza mining project in Al Mudhaibi Wilayat.
With 186 metric tonnes of copper metal, it was the largest of the six shipments to date, reflecting ramped up output of the red metal, along with modest quantities of associated gold. In comparison, the previous shipment of concentrates was estimated to hold 167 tonnes of copper metal, up from 127 tonnes earlier.
Al Hadeetha Resources attributed the output increase to significant improvements in its processing plant, leading to enhanced process efficiency and production levels. These tweaks resulted in an 8 – 10 per cent increase in copper metal recovery, it said, adding that lingering technical issues linked to a faulty tailing filter press will be fully addressed once the component is replaced.
As with all consignments, the latest shipment copper concentrates was destined for China, presently one of the largest producers and exporters of refined copper globally. China accounts for the lion’s share of global smelting and refining capacity, having also invested massively in downstream fabrication – positioning the country as a key player in the energy transition and circular economy industries.
Further bolstering exports of Omani copper concentrates was the announcement earlier this week by Mawarid Mining, the mining arm of Mohammed Al Barwani Group, that it had successfully shipped the first consignment of copper concentrates mined from the Al Ghuzayn underground copper project in Al Khabourah. Mawarid Mining is targeting the extraction of over 1 million tonnes of ore per year to be concentrated locally, producing around 20,000 tonnes of copper concentrate per year to be exported.
After a hiatus of nearly two decades, copper mining activities are picking up pace again in the Sultanate of Oman, fuelled by the government’s economic diversification drive, and an investment-friendly regulatory framework formulated by the Ministry of Energy and Minerals to support the commercialization of the country’s mineral resources.
On Tuesday, Al Hadeetha Resources – an Omani-Australian JV – announced the shipment of its sixth consignment of copper ore concentrates, blended with gold ore, from its Al Wash-hi Majaza mining project in Al Mudhaibi Wilayat.
With 186 metric tonnes of copper metal, it was the largest of the six shipments to date, reflecting ramped up output of the red metal, along with modest quantities of associated gold. In comparison, the previous shipment of concentrates was estimated to hold 167 tonnes of copper metal, up from 127 tonnes earlier.
Al Hadeetha Resources attributed the output increase to significant improvements in its processing plant, leading to enhanced process efficiency and production levels. These tweaks resulted in an 8 – 10 per cent increase in copper metal recovery, it said, adding that lingering technical issues linked to a faulty tailing filter press will be fully addressed once the component is replaced.
As with all consignments, the latest shipment copper concentrates was destined for China, presently one of the largest producers and exporters of refined copper globally. China accounts for the lion’s share of global smelting and refining capacity, having also invested massively in downstream fabrication – positioning the country as a key player in the energy transition and circular economy industries.
Further bolstering exports of Omani copper concentrates was the announcement earlier this week by Mawarid Mining, the mining arm of Mohammed Al Barwani Group, that it had successfully shipped the first consignment of copper concentrates mined from the Al Ghuzayn underground copper project in Al Khabourah. Mawarid Mining is targeting the extraction of over 1 million tonnes of ore per year to be concentrated locally, producing around 20,000 tonnes of copper concentrate per year to be exported.