The Jordanian government granted permission for copper mining at Dana Biosphere Reserve, a 300 km site in southern-central Jordan, to explore copper and magnesium ore deposits. Jordanian cabinet authorized the environment ministry to redraw the Dana Biosphere Reserve on Aug 16.
The Jordanian Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources claimed that there was an estimated 45mn mt of copper deposits in the reserve. Few have questioned this figure. The site where the reserve is located is on the list of landmarks under consideration for UNESCO World Heritage site status.
Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature has opposed redrawing of the boundaries and threatened to take legal measures under the Jordanian law.