Alara Resources awarded 2nd mining licence in Oman
This milestone represents a significant strategic achievement for Alara, reinforcing its leadership position in Oman's rapidly developing mining sector. The Daris Copper-Gold Project – in which Alara holds a 50% interest, with the right to increase it to 70% – is located approximately 150km west of Muscat and spans an extensive area of around 587sq km (Block 7) under a mineral exploration licence.
The 3A5 mining licence has been granted over a portion of Block 7, covering an area of 0.65sq km. Block 7, including the 3A5 licence, is operated by Daris Resources LLC – a joint venture company in which Alara holds both management and commercial rights.
Back in 2013, Alara submitted mining licence applications for two highly prospective copper-gold zones in Block 7 – Daris East and Daris 3A5 – following extensive exploration activities conducted between 2010 and 2012. The company drilled 10 diamond core holes to test and verify the historical mineralisation reported at Daris 3A5. The drilling confirmed the presence of high-grade copper-gold mineralisation at the prospect.
Now that the Daris 3A5 mining licence has been secured, Alara plans to carry out geophysical surveys over the next year to determine drill hole locations, followed by diamond core drilling to define the mineralisation boundaries.
In a press statement, Atmavireshwar Sthapak, Managing Director of Alara Resources, said,
'The award of the Daris 3A5 mining licence marks another pivotal achievement for Alara and reaffirms our deep commitment to Oman's mining industry. Over the past 15 years, Alara has delivered consistently – from completing exploration programmes and feasibility studies to building Oman's first copper mine and processing facility at Wash-hi Majaza.'
'Daris 3A5 is poised to become our second copper mining operation, and we are excited to unlock further value for our shareholders. We extend our sincere thanks to the Ministry of Energy and Minerals, our partners at Daris Resources LLC, and the dedicated Alara team who made this milestone possible. We look forward to building on this success to drive our next phase of growth,' he added.
Sheikh Salim bin Mustahail al Mashani, Chairman of Al Tamman Trading and Establishment, said, 'We are excited by the granting of the Daris 3A5 mining licence, which represents a significant step forward for the development of Oman's mining sector. This achievement is the result of close collaboration between our team, Alara, and the government authorities – particularly the Ministry of Energy and Minerals and the Environment Authority.
'We are proud to have worked together with our partners to achieve this important milestone. The Daris project reflects our shared vision of building a sustainable and economically impactful mining industry in the Sultanate. We look forward to supporting the next phase of development and delivering long-term benefits to Oman and its people.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Muscat Daily
21 hours ago
- Muscat Daily
Alara Resources awarded 2nd mining licence in Oman
Muscat – Alara Resources Limited, an Australian base and precious metals producer and explorer with projects in Oman, has announced the award of a second mining licence by the sultanate's Ministry of Energy and Minerals over the Daris 3A5 prospect, part of the Daris Copper-Gold Project. This milestone represents a significant strategic achievement for Alara, reinforcing its leadership position in Oman's rapidly developing mining sector. The Daris Copper-Gold Project – in which Alara holds a 50% interest, with the right to increase it to 70% – is located approximately 150km west of Muscat and spans an extensive area of around 587sq km (Block 7) under a mineral exploration licence. The 3A5 mining licence has been granted over a portion of Block 7, covering an area of 0.65sq km. Block 7, including the 3A5 licence, is operated by Daris Resources LLC – a joint venture company in which Alara holds both management and commercial rights. Back in 2013, Alara submitted mining licence applications for two highly prospective copper-gold zones in Block 7 – Daris East and Daris 3A5 – following extensive exploration activities conducted between 2010 and 2012. The company drilled 10 diamond core holes to test and verify the historical mineralisation reported at Daris 3A5. The drilling confirmed the presence of high-grade copper-gold mineralisation at the prospect. Now that the Daris 3A5 mining licence has been secured, Alara plans to carry out geophysical surveys over the next year to determine drill hole locations, followed by diamond core drilling to define the mineralisation boundaries. In a press statement, Atmavireshwar Sthapak, Managing Director of Alara Resources, said, 'The award of the Daris 3A5 mining licence marks another pivotal achievement for Alara and reaffirms our deep commitment to Oman's mining industry. Over the past 15 years, Alara has delivered consistently – from completing exploration programmes and feasibility studies to building Oman's first copper mine and processing facility at Wash-hi Majaza.' 'Daris 3A5 is poised to become our second copper mining operation, and we are excited to unlock further value for our shareholders. We extend our sincere thanks to the Ministry of Energy and Minerals, our partners at Daris Resources LLC, and the dedicated Alara team who made this milestone possible. We look forward to building on this success to drive our next phase of growth,' he added. Sheikh Salim bin Mustahail al Mashani, Chairman of Al Tamman Trading and Establishment, said, 'We are excited by the granting of the Daris 3A5 mining licence, which represents a significant step forward for the development of Oman's mining sector. This achievement is the result of close collaboration between our team, Alara, and the government authorities – particularly the Ministry of Energy and Minerals and the Environment Authority. 'We are proud to have worked together with our partners to achieve this important milestone. The Daris project reflects our shared vision of building a sustainable and economically impactful mining industry in the Sultanate. We look forward to supporting the next phase of development and delivering long-term benefits to Oman and its people.'
Observer
2 days ago
- Observer
Alara secures mining licence for second copper project in Oman
MUSCAT: Alara Resources Limited, a base and precious metals explorer and producer listed on the Australian Securities Exchange, has announced the award of a mining licence over the Daris 3A5 prospect, part of the Daris Copper-Gold Project in Oman. The licence, granted by the Ministry of Energy and Minerals, represents a significant step forward in Alara's strategy to expand its copper mining footprint in the Sultanate. The newly granted licence is the second awarded to an Alara joint venture in Oman, reinforcing the company's position in the country's growing mining sector. The licence covers a 0.65 km² portion of Block 7, a mineral-rich zone located approximately 150 km west of Muscat. The Daris Copper-Gold Project is operated by Daris Resources LLC, a joint venture in which Alara holds a 50 per cent stake and management rights, with an option to increase its interest to 70 per cent. In a statement by Alara Resources, the company noted that the mining licence followed a thorough and lengthy approval process, which involved extensive technical assessments and stakeholder consultations. It emphasised that while the licence allows for future mining activities, further exploration work is still required to determine whether potentially economic mineralisation exists at the Daris 3A5 site. 'This Announcement does not imply that potentially economic mineralisation has been discovered at Daris 3A5,' the company clarified. 'Further exploration is required to ascertain whether economic mineralisation exists at this prospect.' Initial exploration work carried out by Alara between 2010 and 2012, which included airborne electromagnetic (VTEM) surveys, ground magnetic surveys, and diamond drilling, confirmed high-grade copper mineralisation at the Daris 3A5 prospect. Notable drill intercepts included 3.45 metres at 10.28% copper, 17.2 metres at 8.05% copper, and 30.75 metres at 4.69% copper. These promising results laid the groundwork for the mining licence application submitted in 2013. Looking ahead, Alara plans a comprehensive development programme over the next 12 months to define the resource and prepare for potential mining operations. This includes conducting new geophysical surveys, further diamond drilling, and metallurgical test work to evaluate recovery potential. Should the findings warrant it, the company aims to issue a mineral resource estimate and reserve classification under the JORC Code, alongside detailed mine planning and potential toll treatment agreements with existing copper processing facilities in Oman. Commenting on the development, Alara Managing Director Atmavireshwar Sthapak said: 'The award of the Daris 3A5 Mining License marks another pivotal achievement for Alara and reaffirms our deep commitment to the Sultanate of Oman's mining industry. Over the past 15 years Alara has delivered consistently – from completing exploration programs and feasibility studies to building Oman's first copper mine and processing facility at Wash-hi Majaza. Daris 3A5 is poised to become our second copper mining operation, and we are excited to unlock further value for our shareholders.' He also expressed gratitude to the Ministry of Energy and Minerals, Alara's joint venture partners, and the company's staff for their role in advancing the project. Supporting the sentiment, Shaikh Salim bin Mustahail al Mashani, Chairman of Al Tamman Trading and Establishment, which is part of the joint venture, said: 'We are excited by the granting of the Daris 3A5 Mining License, which represents a significant step forward for the development of Oman's mining sector. This achievement is the result of close collaboration between our team, Alara, and the Government authorities... The Daris project reflects our shared vision of building a sustainable and economically impactful mining industry in the Sultanate.' The Daris 3A5 licence award comes at a time when Oman is prioritising the development of its mining and minerals sector as part of its Vision 2040 economic diversification strategy. Alara's progress not only signals investor confidence in the country's mineral potential but also adds momentum to broader efforts to establish Oman as a hub for copper production in the region.
Muscat Daily
2 days ago
- Muscat Daily
Australia to buy 11 advanced warships from Japan
Canberra, Australia – Australia will upgrade its navy with 11 frigates from Japan, Australian Defence Minister Richard Marles said on Tuesday. 'This is clearly the biggest defence-industry agreement that has ever been struck between Japan and Australia,' Marles said. The 10bn Australian dollar (US$6.5bn) deal saw Mitsubishi Heavy Industries awarded the tender to supply Mogami-class warships, beating out Germany's ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems. Deal sees tightening of Australia-Japan partnership Japan is one of Australia's most important partners in the Indo-Pacific region. 'This decision was made based on what was the best capability for Australia,' Marles said. 'We do have a very close strategic alignment with Japan.' The Mogami frigates are advanced warships equipped with a potent array of weapons. 'The Mogami-class frigate is the best frigate for Australia,' Marles said. 'It is a next-generation vessel. It is stealthy. It has 32 vertical launch cells capable of launching long-range missiles.' 'More expensive, higher risk' The Japanese bid was seen as 'more expensive and higher risk', according to the The Australian newspaper. This is because Japan has little history of exporting defence equipment, a legacy of its pacifist constitution introduced after World War II. The deal is Japan's first warship export since before World War II and only its second major defence package sold abroad. Australia says the first three general-purpose frigates will be built offshore, with the remainder built in Western Australia. Misubishi Heavy Industries has never built warships in a foreign country, The Australian wrote. Australia ups defence spending Australia announced a major restructuring of its military in 2023, turning towards long-range strike capabilities to better respond to China's military expansion. It is striving to expand its fleet of major warships from 11 to 26 over the next 10 years. The frigate contract is Australia's biggest defence purchase since 2021, when it agreed to buy and build a fleet of nuclear-powered submarines under the tripartite AUKUS pact with the United States and the United Kingdom. Japan had originally lost out to France an earlier bid to win a non-nuclear submarine contract, although this contract was subsequently scrapped in favour of the US-designed submarines. DW
