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Ammon News - Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Saleh Kharabsheh said on Saturday the government is interested in exploiting mineral resources across the Kingdom, but is keen to preserve the environment and biodiversity.

He said during a tour of a copper prospecting project in the Dana Reserve, where he was accompanied by Environment Minister Muawiya Al-Radaydeh, that the project is in the exploration phase and that the government will decide on designating land for the project pending the results.

The minister said exploration for copper in the Dana region will be carried out far from the "environmentally sensitive area" of the main wild reserve, during which an exploratory study will be carried out followed by an economic feasibility study.


He said that a memorandum of understanding signed with the Jordan Integrated Mining and Exploration Company underlines adherence to environmental requirements, and that a joint committee will be formed for that purpose.


He said that the exploration will be carried out under "a tight environmental work system" and in line with international standards and best practices and requirements to protect the environment.


For his part, the Environemtn Minister said that facilities will be provided to the exploration company after overcoming the difficulties and challenges it faced in the past period, adding that exploration work in Dana will take into consideration the recommendations of the previously formed Dana Committee.