India-based Associated Group is planning to develop a calcined lime processing project in Salalah Free Zone, south Oman, to supply the metals, chemicals and construction sectors.

The company has entered a lease agreement with the free zone authorities to construct a 120,000 tonne-a-year (t/y) greenfield plant to produce the mineral, also known as quick lime.

Associated Group will use limestone mined at Dhofar governorate in southern Oman to feed the plant, with construction expected to start during 2013. The region is already a producer of limestone for the Indian steel industry.

The project will benefit from an ongoing expansion of Salalah’s cargo terminal. The expansion scheme will increase Salalah’s cargo handling capacity to 20 million t/y of dry bulk commodities and more than 6 million t/y of liquid products, up from a total cargo handling capacity of 6.5 million t/y during 2011.