2 days ago
Move to localise Oman's ‘green copper' value chain
MUSCAT: A pioneer in the production of 'green copper'—copper cathode extracted from mining waste—is now exploring opportunities to boost in-country value (ICV) through potential investments in domestic copper rod manufacturing.
The move seeks to localise the entire green copper lifecycle, from tailings to finished rod, said Imraan Shaikh, Managing Director of Green Tech Mining & Services.
Earlier this month, the company— a joint venture between Oman Mining Company (49%) and Austria-based BPG Precious Metal Storage Plc (51%)—commissioned the Arjaa Tailings Processing Calibration Plant (ATPCP) in Suhar. This first-of-its-kind facility recycles copper tailings using renewable energy and advanced clean technologies.
The facility, which serves as a precursor to a full-scale commercial plant scheduled to break ground before year-end, treats acid mine drainage waters and processes leaching deposits from stripping, overburden, and low-grade ore stockpiles to recover valuable metals. Green copper output, currently a modest 60 tonnes per annum, is projected to soar to 12,000 tonnes when full commercial operations commence in December 2026.
While current production is exported under an offtake agreement with international commodities trader Traxys, Green Tech Mining is now engaging with local industry players to foster downstream processing in Oman.
'The Ministry of Commerce, Industry, and Investment Promotion is keen to enhance in-country value,' said Shaikh in an interview with The Energy Year, a leading business news platform. 'We are in discussions with Oman Cables and Nuhas Oman to explore copper rod production using locally recycled green copper.'
Green Tech Mining currently manages around 18 million tonnes of copper tailings at Arjaa, a legacy of copper mining operations from 1983 to 1994. An additional 6 million tonnes has been secured through a partnership with leading Omani miner, Mawarid Mining. More tailings are expected to become available as a new wave of copper mining and processing projects gathers pace in the Sultanate.
The company's green copper initiative is built on a 'sustainable circular mining' model, combining low-carbon reprocessing technologies with renewable energy. Funding for the project was raised through green bonds certified by Austria's Ministry of Climate Affairs and Energy.
'This is not just a financial milestone—it's a global first,' Shaikh noted. 'While major firms like BHP have issued green bonds for renewable energy, our bonds are the first in the world dedicated specifically to mine tailings remediation. It is also the first green bond-funded project in the GCC's mining sector.'
With copper now officially designated a critical mineral due to its essential role in the global energy transition, Green Tech Mining aims to contribute to closing the supply gap through environmentally responsible tailings recovery.
