Amman, Nov. 13 (Petra) – Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources, Saleh Kharabsheh, on Thursday checked on the progress of phosphate exploration and prospecting activities in the Risha region, implemented under the memorandum of understanding (MoU), signed between the ministry and the Omani Al Tasnim Group.
During the field tour, Kharabsheh was briefed by the technical team on drilling sites, sample collection methods, and procedures for preparing rock samples for laboratory analysis, also reviewed the stages of ongoing fieldwork within the project.
According to a ministry statement, Kharabsheh held a field meeting at the end of the visit to discuss preliminary results and upcoming work plans, calling for accelerating progress to achieve the project’s strategic goals.
The visit comes as part of following up on the implementation of the ministry's MoU with the Omani company to explore phosphate deposits in Risha area, in line with national efforts to transform natural resources into value-added local industries, in accordance with the national mining strategy launched earlier by the ministry.
On its scope, the MoU covers an estimated area of around 300 square kilometers in Risha and grants the company the right to conduct geological and technical studies, as well as economic feasibility assessments for developing the ore, including potential establishment of downstream industries in the Kingdom.
The minister was accompanied by the Director of the Geology and Mining Directorate, alongside technical and field teams from the ministry and the Omani company working on the project.
//Petra//NQ
