AMMAN — Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources, Saleh
Kharabsheh, revealed the preliminary findings of a mining project in the
"Samra Al-Tayba" area of Wadi Araba, located in southern Jordan. The
results showcased significant concentrations of zinc, copper, lead, and gold,
indicating the presence of other valuable sulfide minerals.
اضافة اعلان
Kharabsheh made these remarks during his visit to the
project site on Saturday, emphasizing the ongoing efforts to determine the
depth and concentrations of the target elements through extensive studies, the
Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.
Expansion of mining venturesDuring his visit, Kharabsheh highlighted the Jordanian
Ministry of Energy's commitment to developing the country's mining sector. He
informed that the ministry has signed nine memoranda of understanding since
2022, focusing on the exploration and extraction of copper, gold, lithium,
phosphate, and rare earth elements.
By the end of this year, the ministry expects to expand the
number of exploration areas to a total of 15, he said.
Turkey's Solvest Trade and Industry Limited Company, under
the "mining for copper" project in Wadi Abu Khashiba, south of
Jordan, is making significant progress, Kharabsheh said.
He also announced that Solvest will present a feasibility
study within the next two weeks. Based on the results of this study, the
ministry will proceed toward the executive agreement stage.
Geochemical and exploration studiesHisham Zyoud, the director of studies at the Ministry of
Energy, provided insights into the ongoing project in the Samra Al-Tayba area.
Zyoud explained that the project's geochemical and
exploration studies encompass an area of 25sq.km. To date, the ministry's staff
has excavated 10 trenches and exploratory sections, with plans to dig two more
trenches and three exploratory wells. The collected samples underwent analysis
in the ministry's laboratories, while gold ore samples were sent to Canadian
SGS labs in South Africa.
Zyoud further revealed that more than 250 samples have been
gathered since the project's inception. These include 81 samples obtained from
excavated rock sections and trenches, as well as 109 samples collected and
tested by the Geochemical Surveys Department from watersheds.
Positive outlook for copper miningAndrei Borisov, the head of Solvest Trade and Industry
Limited Company, disclosed the results of the preliminary economic feasibility
study conducted on copper ores in the Wadi Abu Khashiba area.
The study reported capital and operating costs amounting to
$480 million. The findings unveiled a reserve of 117,000 tonnes of copper, and
Borisov emphasized that exploration operations would intensify during the
executive phase.
He expressed optimism that copper reserves would exceed 1
million tonnes.
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