The Wadi Arabah in Jordania was an important place of copper mining in the near East from prehistoric times. Large heaps of slags, altogether 150,000-200, 000 tons, prove that this was one of the largest mining districts in antiquity. In the early periods copper silicates and malachite, later copper-manganese ores, and in Roman periods manganese free copper ores were mined. The shafts and the melting places are described in detail. Analyses of the ores and slags are given. -- AATA