Global
The Harar Mountains host most of the mining activities and exploration in Oman.
Photographs by Dr Nicolaas Steenkamp rubble that accumulated on top of sea mounts. Following the closing of the Tethys Ocean, the land surface area was submerged in shallow seas and fossiliferous limestones were deposited. Recent deposits south and north of the northern Oman Mountains cover the plains with coarse grey gravel. Blue pools are common on both sides of the northern Oman Mountains where alkaline water reacts with the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and calcium carbonate is precipitated, forming fine white deposits. The largest surface area of the country is covered by desert sand, with extensive sabkha( salt flats). The largest is called Umm as Samim, translated as Mother of Poisons, and lies on the edge of The Empty Quarter close to the border with Saudi Arabia.
Mineral deposits
The greatest mineral potential in Oman exists mainly within the Semail ophiolite where significant chromite, manganeseoxide, nickel-iron-laterite, base metal, and precious metal mineralisation occurs. Mineral potential also exists in the Hawasina and Sumeini nappes for manganese, copper, lead, and barium mineralisation. The autochthonous sedimentary rocks host coal beds, fluorspar, clay, barites, and celestite deposits. The sedimentary basement has been shown to contain lead, zinc, silver, and heavy minerals. The crystalline basement contains phosphate, iron, manganese, and uranium mineralisation.
Industries to benefit from these raw minerals are mostly absent from the country. However, the focus in Oman remains on traditionally mined deposits, namely marble, gypsum, limestone, industrial salt, chromites, gold, and building materials. The Omani economy continues to be highly dependent on hydrocarbon revenues.
The sultanate of Oman currently produces copper, chromite, gold, and silver. Oman’ s main copper reserves are in the Suhar area on the Al Batinah coast. The country’ s chromite reserves are estimated at two million tons of chromite ore, which is located at roughly 600 sites spread throughout the country. These ore bodies are mined by the Oman Chromite Company( OCC).
Limestone for cement production is mined in the northern and southern parts of the country to supply the Oman Cement Company’ s plant in the Rusayl Industrial Estate near As Sib and the Raysut Cement Corporation’ s plant near Salalah. Tile and marble dimension stone are also produced for local construction.
Deposits of zinc and lead are known to exist in Dhofar, Jalan, and Hawshi Huqf. Coal reserves at Al Kamil are estimated at 122 million tons, and are considered adequate for domestic use.
Challenges for mining
The contribution of the mining sector to the GDP of Oman is 0.14 %, and direct revenues from mining in 2016 stood at
MARCH 2018 MINING MIRROR [ 7 ]