'THE GEOLOGY AND MINERAL RESOURCES OF DHUFAR PROVINCE, MUSCAT AND OMAN' [‎48v] (86/96)

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been possible to motor to Kazmeem, Heelah, Hanun, etc., and
return via Obet and Othik and Mahmulah. Seeing that I travelled
by camel and encountered only a few steep slopes on the route, I
am confident that an easy road alignment could be quickly found on
a good topographical map and that such a road might be made
motorable at small expense. Possibly 200 miles of road would give
access to 10 miles west-north-west of Risut, up to and round by
Hanun and also eastward to near Hasik from Murbat, and on the
average cost perhaps Rs.2,000 per mile or Rs.4,00,000 in all. There
is already a landing ground and aerodrome at Salalah and Risut
bay offers a reasonable hydroplane base as well as a fair anchorage.
A tramway existed between Risut bay and the Salalah landing
ground, but now lies abandoned after the war. If the above com
munications were revived (and perhaps a new tramway made to
limestone quarries, where these might be opened, near Rizat spring
or Sahnut or elsewhere), Dhufar would rapidly attract notice and its
resources might be quickly explored.
Mineral Exploration of Dhufar
109. Although the nationalization of industries and the
planning of development by Government is at present popular, it is
a very expensive business and likely to prove exceedingly costly if
handled by inexperienced individuals and departments. In most
cases industrial enterprise, while encouraged by the State, has been
carried out by private enterprise. It is true that in some cases the
industrialist has made large profits, but it is also true that he has
taken risks and faced disappointing periods. It is thus worthy of
consideration whether it would not be to the advantage of the
Sultanate of Oman to invite offers for mineral exploration parti
cularly of such expensive items as the search for oil, the erection of a
Portland Cement works, the building of a chemical works, and the
ike. If an Oman Mineral Industries Ltd. were formed on reasonable
terms of royalty (minimum royalty or/and dead rent), first for a
P ros P e< r^ ln § P er iod and then for actual mining and quarrying,
the State would not be faced with serious expenses. These would be
for surveys (topographical and engineering) and road construction
Induce r fd l eCtl °m ° f data 0n water-suppiy. The Oman Mineral
Industries Etd would carry out detailed geological and geophysical
surveys as needed, as well as the prospecting and proving of the
mineral deposits, excluding that of oil. Such a company might be
etc-anTw7rkT nt ^ a ^ Ceramic branch, Chemical bfanch,
etc and work through subsidiary companies who take out licences
should^onlv 1 ^^- 011 ^ mineralS ° r P roducts - T be lease for oil
should only be given to a very experienced firm. (Indeed the
planning for industrial development could include evervthing-