In a pivotal move to solidify its position in the mining industry and bolster the sustainability of its operations, Minerals Development Oman (MDO) announced the signing of strategic supply contracts with the Finnish company Metso.

The agreements, unveiled during MDO’s participation in the Future Mineral Forum in Riyadh, are set to equip the copper concentrate plant at the Mazoon Mining project in Yanqul, A’Dhahirah Governorate, with cutting-edge technology.

Valued at more than RO11.5mn (US$30mn), these contracts include the supply of state-of-the-art crushing, grinding, and flotation equipment. This includes high-performance grinding mills, advanced mechanical flotation units, and efficient concentrators – all integral to enhancing the productivity, operational efficiency, and sustainability of the company’s ambitious project to extract and concentrate copper ore from its Yanqul mines.

Eng. Mattar bin Salim Al Badi, CEO of MDO, stated: “The Mazoon Copper project is a cornerstone in positioning Oman as a global hub for copper concentrate production. Spanning 20 square kilometres, this project will soon become the largest of its kind in the country, thanks to our strategic partnerships and commitment to employing innovative technologies. This collaboration marks a significant milestone for MDO, reinforcing our global partnerships while driving efficiency and sustainability in our mining and processing operations. We are honoured to collaborate with Metso, a trusted leader in providing processing equipment, ensuring the highest standards of performance, quality, and sustainability.”

“As a leading supplier of process technology and services to copper and gold plants around the world, Metso is excited to work as a strategic partner with MDO in this greenfield project. A significant number of the products covered by the Notice of Award are part of our unique Metso Plus offering,” said Piia Karhu, President of Minerals at Metso.

The Mazoon Copper project stands as the largest integrated copper concentrate production project in the Sultanate of Oman, covering 20 square kilometres and encompassing five open-pit mines with reserves estimated at 22.9 million tons of copper ore. The project also includes a processing plant spanning 56,000 square meters, with a processing capacity of 2.5 million tons annually and a production capacity of 115,000 tons of copper concentrate per year with a purity of up to 21.5%.

Focused on sustainability, the project integrates environmentally responsible technologies that meet the highest operational standards in both mining and processing, all while enhancing local content and supporting the social and economic development of the Wilayat of Yanqul.