Oman-based Gulf Mining Group, a major mining and mineral processing organisation, plans to boost production of limestone and gypsum — commodities destined primarily for the growing steel and cement sectors of the Indian sub-continent.

The production ramp-up is part of an array of ambitious new investments and capacity expansions planned by company, with the government’s backing to open up the nation’s mining sector to commercial development, added the Oman Daily Observer report.

Gypsum output, currently averaging 86,000 tonnes per month, is proposed to be nearly doubled to 150,000 tonnes by early next year, according to a top official of Gulf Mining Group.

Gulf Mining Group’s CEO Mohammed Yahya Al Shabibi said that the organisation is weighing plans to set up a gypsum value-adding project in Salalah, subject to confirmation of the allocation of natural gas for the venture.

He further added that new investments are being envisioned across most of the group’s existing portfolio of eight mines.  

Al Shabibi noted that the production of limestone has also proposed to be doubled to 100,000 tonnes per month up from the present output of around 50,000 tonnes.