Tejarah Talks: Digging into the Future

Times of Oman

11-05-2025

Muscat: Industry experts will gather at the Civil Aviation Authority Training Centre Tuesday 11:00am on 27 May to explore innovation and sustainability in the mining sector.
The session will examine strategies for positioning Oman as a regional centre for mineral production. The 70-minute forum, Digging into the Future: Innovation & Sustainability in Mining, will unite specialists to review Oman's geological resources and emerging industry trends as development continues in alignment with Vision 2040 objectives.
The event will showcase Oman's rich mineral heritage – known in ancient times as Majan for its copper smelting – and how these resources are being utilized today. Substantial deposits of dolomite, limestone, gypsum, gabbro, copper and gold remain partially untapped, offering significant commercial potential.
'Most people don't realize that minerals extracted in Oman are in their smartphones, cars, homes and even the food they eat,' said Badriya Al Amri, Oman Business Forum Office, Ministry of Commerce, Industry & Investment Promotion and Tejarah Talks Administrator.
'This month's session will reveal how mining touches nearly every aspect of our daily lives while showcasing how innovative approaches are making the industry more sustainable.'
Topics will include renewable energy adoption, efficiency improvements and low-carbon technology integration in extraction operations. Speakers will address ESG integration, digital transformation and technological advancements including drone usage and IoT applications for the sector.
The discussion will emphasise the practical importance of locally-sourced minerals in everyday life.
Gypsum, which reached export volumes of 12 million tonnes in 2024 - up 7.1% from 2023 - is essential for manufacturing drywall, conditioning soil in agriculture and producing cement.
Without it global construction would grind to a halt. Limestone is vital for cement manufacturing, glass production and as a purifier in power station emissions systems while also serving as a calcium supplement in food and medicines. Dolomite is used in manufacturing glass bottles, ceramics and as a soil enhancer for agricultural production.
The event will also cover mining's role in the global green energy transition. The worldwide push toward electrification has created unprecedented demand for copper with its exceptional conductivity properties making it essential for renewable energy systems and electric vehicles (EV).
It is estimated the average EV contains approximately 83kg of copper - nearly four times the 23kg found in conventional cars - primarily in batteries, motors and charging infrastructure. Similarly, renewable energy installations are copper-intensive with a single wind turbine containing up to 4 tonnes of copper in its generators, transformers and cabling systems.
With sizeable copper reserves, Oman is well-positioned to benefit as countries worldwide commit to carbon reduction targets. Projects across Oman are adding value to raw minerals through processing facilities, including titanium dioxide production and aluminum manufacturing.
Panelists will discuss how these capabilities contribute to economic diversification while creating high-skilled jobs in fields ranging from environmental science to robotics and data analytics.
Organized by Oman Business Forum in association with the Ministry of Commerce, Industry & Investment Promotion and supported by Nortal, MHD, Invest Oman and Oman FM, May's Tejarah interested in understanding how mining shapes our modern world.