Oman opens its first copper recycling plant

• Sited in city of Sohar
• Cost $106m to build
• Reducing mineral waste

Oman has opened its first copper recycling plant in the northern industrial city of Sohar that has cost $106 million to build.

It is the first such facility in the Gulf state and will recycle over 150 tonnes of copper waste annually.

“We will no longer throw away copper waste or any minerals like we used to do. This plant will recycle them and bring them back to be used again,” Qais bin Mohammed al Yousef, minister of commerce, industry and investment promotion, was quoted as saying by Oman Television.

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Oman operates 14 concession areas across the country and has found almost 500,000 tonnes of chromite, 111 million tonnes of high-purity silica and 242 million tonnes of dolomite.

Oman is looking to diversify its economy to make the mining sector a major contributor to the country’s national income.