Introduction and purpose
Oman has a great potential to develop all sizes of stone production and processing industries, be it one-man workshops or cottage industries, or large-sized plants with automated machinery. With the aim of contributing to the diversification of industry in Oman, the stone technology unit has been established at the college of engineering, Sultan Qaboos University. The objectives of this unit are to:
• Encourage increased usage of Omani natural stone resources, e.g. decorative stones and gemstones.
• Encourage local industries and young Omani entrepreneurs to start private sector business utilizing Omans' tremendous range of mineral resources.
• Teach and train students and apprentices the know-how of stone processing and give them hands-on experience.
Sultan Qaboos University is committed to train and guide young Omanis to develop the natural resources and thus contribute to the economic progress of the Sultanate of Oman.
Showroom
Oman is endowed with a great variety of natural resources. These include oil-bearing rocks, metallic ores, industrial rocks and menials, decorative stones, dimension stones and gemstones.
Raw mineralic materials and processed stones, decorative items and jewelry made from rocks and minerals collected from all over Oman are presented here in a permanent exhibition.
The exhibition is subdivided into six sections:
1- Metallic ores (copper, gold, iron, chromium, manganese, raw materials and products).
2- Decorative stones and dimension stones (Omani marble, ophiolite, metamorphic rocks, travertine, sandstone, limestone, etc).
3- Gemstones (Oman's magic perfume gemstone, multicolored banded quartz gemstone, rock crystal, chalcedony, geodes, opal, carnelian, coffee stone, etc).
4- Oil in Oman (reservoir rocks, seal rocks, crude oil, cores, equipment and material for oil production).
5- Industrial rocks and minerals (quartz, calcite, gypsum, halite, magnesite, coal, aggregate, chert, limestone, construction material, sand and silt, natural pigments, powdered colored rock etc).
6- Stone shop (minerals, rocks, gemstones, gold ore, handicrafts, sand paintings, jewelry, gift boxes, good luck stones, paper-weights)
Location of the Showroom
Sultan Qaboos University
College of Engineering
Eastern workshop building, 1st floor
Above Civil Engineering Workshop
Stone Technology Workshop
The stone technology unit at the Department of Petroleum and Chemical Engineering is adequately equipped with efficient workshop facilities and machinery for stone testing and processing. The following is a list of some of the procedures and tests that can be carried out in the workshop:
• Cutting of raw stone samples
• Coring, various diameters
• Table drilling
• Diamond form grinding
• Diamond surface grinding
• Wheel grinding and polishing
• Vibrating table surface polishing
• Tumbling
• Compressive strength test
• Point load test
Visits to the Showroom
To arrange for a visit to the showroom contact:
Dean's Office, College of Engineering:
Tel. #: 2414 1301
Fax #: 2414 1416
E-mail: engadm@squ.edu.om
Department of Petroleum and Chemical Engineering (PCE)
The coordinator, Tel: 2414 1354 Sheikha@squ.edu.om