Overview
Technology adoption in Oman’s mining sector is progressing from foundational digitalisation toward Industry 4.0 integration. The Fourth Industrial Revolution Centre (inaugurated 2024) serves as a national accelerator for AI, IoT, blockchain, and advanced analytics deployment across priority sectors. The sector’s current digital maturity level reflects both infrastructure readiness and organisational capacity for technology absorption.
Key Indicators
| Indicator | Current | 2040 Target |
|---|---|---|
| Digital Maturity | Emerging | Advanced |
| Automation Level | Low-moderate | High |
| Data Analytics Adoption | Early stage | Widespread |
Analysis
Technology transformation in mining spans several dimensions: process automation, data-driven decision making, customer experience digitalisation, and ecosystem connectivity. Public Authority for Mining, Oman Mining Company, Al Tasnim, Minerals Development Oman are leading adopters, deploying enterprise resource planning, IoT sensors, and cloud-based platforms. However, the broader sector ecosystem, particularly SMEs, lags significantly behind. The 5G rollout provides enabling infrastructure, but enterprise adoption requires complementary investment in skills, change management, and data governance frameworks.
Challenges
Technology adoption barriers include high upfront costs, shortage of local tech talent, legacy system integration complexity, and cybersecurity concerns. Limited geological survey data for frontier areas, small-scale artisanal operations lacking efficiency, water scarcity for processing, environmental permitting bottlenecks, and low domestic value addition (most minerals exported as raw ore).
Opportunities
AI and machine learning applications, digital twins for asset management, blockchain for supply chain transparency, and IoT-enabled predictive maintenance represent high-impact opportunities. Copper smelting and refining (Oman has significant sulphide deposits), limestone for cement and construction materials export, rare earth element exploration, marble and dimension stone for luxury markets, and critical minerals for battery supply chains.
Vision 2040 Targets
Raise mining GDP share to 3-5 percent; complete national geological survey; establish three mineral processing zones; double mining exports; achieve 60 percent Omanisation.