The Ministry of Heritage and Tourism today signed an agreement with the Industrial Innovation Centre (IIC) for an Omani Sarooj (lime) innovation project.

The agreement was signed by Eng. Ibrahim Said al-Kharousi, Under-Secretary of the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism, and Dr. Abdullah Mohammed al-Mahrooqi, CEO of the IIC.

The ‘Project for Innovation in Sarooj’ aims to develop the industry and upgrade its sustainability. This gypsum-like material consists of silicon and aluminum.

It was used earlier in the Sultanate as a construction material in building aflaj (water channels) and military bulwarks like forts and castles.

Currently, it is used in restoration or repair works. The conventional method used in making Sarooj takes a long time and its quality cannot be guaranteed. The new project seeks to improve the production of Sarooj and enhance the tasks associated with it.

The project also aims to explore and develop Sarooj production through the use of modern techniques and comprehending the best practices used in this process. It will devise guidelines on “requirements of Sarooj production” from the stage of raw material to the stage of the finished product.

In the meantime, the project will help preserve the traditional method of making Sarooj.

The agreement lays emphasis on several goals to be achieved, like fostering innovation in the Sarooj industry, upgrading the product’s quality, implementing awareness and joint programmes between the Ministry and innovation centres, exchanging expertise, adopting new proposals, providing licenses for Sarooj sites, selecting suitable locations for extracting Sarooj and forming joint working teams to participate in the project.

According to the agreement, the Industrial Innovation Centre will explore the best practices in producing Sarooj, with emphasis on global experiences, besides establishing a national strategic framework for the production of the Omani building material.