London-based Tri-Star Resources, a major investor in a joint venture antimony roaster project under development at Sohar Port and Freezone, revealed the project is on course for commissioning by the end of 2017, said a report.

The Oman Antimony Roaster is a facility for antimony production with a capacity of 20,000 tonnes of metal per annum, added the Oman Daily Observer report.

Antimony is used in flame retardant compounds and in alloys for batteries, it added.

Tri-Star owns a 40 per cent stake in Strategic & Precious Metals Processing, the company promoting the roaster project.

Tri-Star said SPM has now either committed or incurred over half the capital outlay on the project, with site construction activity having begun and major capital items scheduled to arrive in the first half of 2017.

The company noted that engineering design, procurement of long lead time items and plant layout continues to advance, added the report.