TELF AG discusses the mining and green energy development in the Middle East

The mining industry and green energy 

Thanks to the energy transition and its immediate consequences on people’s lives, many nations have the precious opportunity to boost the development of their mining sector, projecting it decisively toward a more sustainable future. For certain countries, focusing on the mining industry means enhancing their internal economy, placing it in direct contact with other international economic systems, thus contributing directly to the success of the epochal transition to clean energy. For others, this key historical phase represents an almost unique opportunity to modernize their mining sector, even from a purely strategic point of view. 

From this point of view, one of the most active nations is Oman, which, over the last few years, has had the opportunity to highlight itself to the international community for its wealth of highly strategic mineral resources and its modern and innovative mining sector. The Middle Eastern nation has already aspired to build a hydrogen-powered economy. Still, the most noteworthy aspects of its energy growth concern its potential linked to the mining industry. Oman, specifically, possesses some materials of great importance for the diffusion of green energy, and its rise in this sector could be based precisely on its availability of these precious raw materials. 

The geological richness of Oman 

In particular, laterite reserves can be found in the country, from which specific quantities of nickel and cobalt can be obtained. These materials are starting to establish themselves on the international scene for their role in manufacturing various energy technologies, such as energy storage or hydrogen production devices, as well as apparent batteries for electric vehicles. In Oman, you can also find chromite, which is particularly useful in the electrolyzer sector and in various industrial applications related to renewable energy, and copper, which will be increasingly in demand in the coming years due to its unique capabilities in the field of electrification. 

As stated in a recent statement by Mohsin al Hadhrami, Oman’s undersecretary of the Minister of Energy and Minerals, the development of the national mining industry could play a leading role in the country’s energy conversion, creating value for the local economy and also allowing Oman to rapidly move towards a phase of important technological development, especially in the green technology sector. The undersecretary also reiterated the importance of strategic minerals, which could play a strategic role in the gradual process of global decarbonization. In the territory of Oman, it is also possible to find reserves of carbonatite, used above all to produce magnets for wind turbines and specific energy-saving lighting systems, and of silica, which plays a leading role in the creation of solar cells photovoltaic and solar panels. 

Omani raw materials have attracted the interest of several international players: a British mining company is already evaluating the potential of a laterite deposit in the locality of Ibra, from which specific quantities of chromium, iron ore, and cobalt. In addition to its wealth of resources, Oman has also stood out for its innovative approach in the mining sector, thanks to the digitalization of all data, acquiescence with environmental and safety standards, and a strategic concept focused first and foremost on achieving results.