Oman Minerals Trading Gears Up for Launch: What This Means for Investors and Businesses in Oman
MUSCAT, JUNE 7 – As Oman Minerals Trading Company (OMTC) prepares to launch its centralised trading platform, its newly appointed Chairman, Hussain Ali al Lawati, has confirmed that the state-owned enterprise will focus exclusively on the marketing and export of gypsum and chromite ores.
In a statement released over the weekend, Al Lawati emphasized that OMTC’s core mission is to expand the international presence of Omani mineral exports. He stated, “Oman Minerals Trading Company will be the sole authorised exporter of gypsum and chromite ores from the Sultanate of Oman.” This initiative supports broader efforts to streamline the mining sector’s value chain and enhance the global competitiveness of Oman’s mineral resources.
OMTC was established under Ministerial Decision 18/2025, issued in May 2025 by Eng. Salim Nasser al Aufi, Minister of Energy and Minerals. It operates as a wholly owned subsidiary of Minerals Development Oman (MDO), the investment arm of the Sultanate’s mining sector, which is itself owned by the Oman Investment Authority (OIA).
The new ministerial decision introduces a stringent regulatory framework for the export of gypsum and chromite ores. Key measures include prioritising domestic demand and enforcing rigorous quality standards, such as a minimum 36% chromium content for exported chromite. These regulations aim to increase pricing transparency, enhance marketing discipline, and strengthen Oman’s negotiation leverage in international mineral markets.
OMTC’s primary role is to centralise the export process and standardise international contracts, addressing longstanding issues like intermediaries and fragmented marketing practices. This reform is expected to improve pricing accuracy, boost national revenues, increase in-country value, and support the growth of downstream industries, small and medium enterprises, and job creation—aligning with the Ministry’s “Majd” initiative for integrated value-chain development.
The imminent launch of OMTC’s trading platform concludes a one-year transition period that began last June. This transition allowed companies to finalise existing contracts, adjust to the new marketing system, and receive training and capacity building for future sales and negotiations.
Meanwhile, MDO has developed an integrated system for registration, contracting, global pricing, and logistics to ensure a reliable supply, prioritising local market needs and preparing the private sector for this new centralised trading approach.
Oman’s gypsum sector produced approximately 14 million tonnes in 2024, with exports reaching nearly 12 million tonnes, positioning the country as one of the world’s largest gypsum exporters. Chromite production was significantly smaller, at around 300,000 tonnes in 2024, with most destined for export in the metallurgical sector.
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The centralisation of gypsum and chromite export via Oman Minerals Trading Company (OMTC) streamlines Oman’s mineral export sector, enhancing pricing transparency and strengthening global market positioning. This creates opportunities for increased national revenue, downstream industrial growth, and SME development, while smart investors should monitor the evolving regulatory landscape and leverage emerging capacities in the integrated value chain to capitalize on export and local market prioritization.
