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Site works have begun at the Al Wash-hi-Majaza copper-gold project
where Alara aims to start 0.9 mtpa production by the end of this year

activities will be a solid cornerstone to attract strategic “The general model that is successful in other parts of the
investors and ultimately promote the entire Omani mining world where a junior exploration company...acquires a
sector,” Minerals Development Oman chairman Badar Saud licence and develops the project to a certain level and brings
Al Kharusi said. in somebody to the sell the project to move on, has actually
The Minerals Development Oman branch of the Oman been unsuccessful in Oman.
Investment Authority is also planning to launch an airborne “Few companies have done that in the past, but if you come
geophysical study with geochemical studies to follow. with the commitment of actually staying here and taking the
Sthapak said high-quality work and experience brought in by exploration to the next level to remain consistent with the
Alara had helped to earn the trust of the Omani Government, process, you develop the trust and that’s actually where
finance institutions and locals, as well as to teach the the chances are that you get the licences and all the key
Government practices in exploration. partners.”
“The mining industry in the past in Oman...there were Back at the Al Wash-hi-Majaza project, Sthapak already
projects not developed sustainably,” he said. has ambitions to grow the mineable resources with satellite
deposits.
“We spent quite a bit of time on getting the project financed
with the local banks. The banks previously had bad “With [works] going ahead and on track, we started to push
experiences in mining and commodities; investing in mining government to get the mining license for other deposits that
projects that were not properly defined or studied. Alara has explored to some extent,” he said.
“There was also a lot of community unrest in some of the “One of them was defined to a greater extent, but those were
areas so we have taken this as a challenge to make an smaller volume deposits.
example of where we can bring in international standards of “But now we can develop a hub-and-spoke model where we
mining into the country. have one plant at one location and we have satellite mines
“We put the foot in the door, and we definitely want to expand around supplying ore. We are quite keen to establish Alara...
it and we have trust now from financiers and authorities that as a mine producer in this part of the world.”
we want to maintain.” For the future of Oman, Sthapak hopes to see generational
Sthapak also said success demonstrated by Alara in growth of expertise in the resources industry like that of
Oman may encourage more international, and Australian, Australia.
companies to come prospecting – but warned they must “[The resources industry here] is dependent on expatriates...
come with the correct intentions to gain the same level of they don’t have that experienced workforce in the country,”
trust. he said.
“You have to come with a mindset to work with the authorities “When you’re trying to work with the authorities to develop
here and work in a model where they see they are getting those resources, but that will take up to 10 years from now,
benefits,” he said. we need to develop those projects now, we need people.”

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