Oman Chromite Company, the publicly traded mining company based out of Sohar in the Sultanate of Oman, has said that it has posted strong output growth in the first half of 2022, with 25,900 tonnes of chromite ore produced.

Chromium ore mining sites

In a statement, the company said that its production for H1 2022 represented a significant increase over the corresponding output of 9,349 tonnes a year from a year ago. After tax, the company earned a profit of US$1.69m – a 245% increase on the US$690,786 posted last year.

The upturn in profits was aided by the company’s ability to reduce costs, amongst other factors, the statement added.

Earlier this year, Oman Chromite had announced the signing of a joint investment agreement with Mineral Development Oman (MDO) to explore for chromium ore at two sites, one in the North Al Batinah Governorate, and the other in Al Buraimi Governorate.

The company said that it will continue to seek licences for new sites and evaluate existing sites for their mineral potential. Its efforts to develop and enhance exploration and mining operations have contributed to an increase in production at its Mahrah mine, where it obtained a mining licence in June 2021.

Chromium is used across manufacturing, from jet engines to photography 

Chromite ores – metallic and refractory - are exported via the Sohar Port metallic raw and refractory raw to East Asian markets and European countries. These include Japan and South Korea, as well as India, Thailand, and South Africa.

Chromium is characterised by its resistance to high temperatures, corrosion, and rust. It is widely used in the manufacture of corrosion and rust-resistant steels, heat-resistant alloys, jet engines, and chrome panels, as well as gas turbines, cutting machine steel and photography.

The metal is also used in the manufacture of non-ferrous alloys, heavy alloys, and heat-resistant alloys, and in the manufacture of drill chimes and electric lamps. Chrome and steel alloys are used to make the plate surfaces of ships, tanks, safes, ball bearings, and cutting edges of high-speed machine equipment, and are used in many industries. These include leather tanning, paint pigment and in the textile industry as colour stabilisers.

In its statement, Oman Chromite said that its vision is embodied in the development of its activities and expansion in studies, production, processing and marketing of minerals. It added that it aims to make minerals one of the most important sources of income for the Sultanate of Oman, while also improving returns for shareholders and employees.