AMMAN — The Lower House on Sunday approved by majority vote a draft law ratifying an executive agreement to evaluate, develop, and exploit copper and associated minerals in the Abu Khushaibehregion of Wadi Araba.

 

The law was endorsed during a session, attended by Prime Minister Jafar Hassan and members of the government.

 

MP Ayman Abu Haniyeh, head of the Energy and Mineral Resources Committee, said that the copper mining project in Wadi Araba has progressed through defined legal and technical stages since a memorandum of understanding was signed in 2022.

 

“The recently signed executive agreement paves the way for the project to move into the production phase,” he said in a statement, cited by the Jordan News Agency, Petra.

 

He also said that the company involved has already conducted exploration and prospecting work and submitted a preliminary feasibility study, and has alsocommissioned an international consultancy to estimate copper reserves according to global standards, enabling advancement to the next stage.

 

Abu Haniyeh said a specialised Jordanian firm, WadiAraba Minerals Company, has been established as the project developer. “The company’s formation was a legal requirement for signing the executive agreement, which will take effect only after ratification by the National Assembly, in line with Article 117 of the Constitution.”

 

The move aligns with Article 117 of the Constitution, which requires parliamentary approval of concessions related to natural resources.

 

Under the agreement, the company must be converted into a public shareholding company before commercial production begins.

 

Investment in the project is open to entities with the necessary technical and financial capacity, Abu Haniyeh said, adding that investors may partner with international firms to ensure operational efficiency under strict government oversight.

 

The agreement includes a variable royalty ranging from 3 per cent to 10 per cent of total production, in line with international standards.

 

Abu Haniyeh stressed that the royalty is calculated on gross output rather than net profits.

 

He added that revenues are not limited to royalties only, but also include income tax and mining fees, as well as indirect returns, noting that the agreement includes a progressive tax system on profits.

 

 

He emphasised the importance of the project in placing Jordan on the global mining map, in addition to its indirect economic impact through job creation and the employment of local labor, calling for a comprehensive evaluation of the agreement rather than focusing solely on the royalty percentage.