Alara Resources awarded 2nd mining licence in Oman

07/08/2025 04:33 AST

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."

Muscat Daily