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Rabat – Morocco’s government awarded a licence to global mining company Emmerson Plc to construct a potash plant near Khemisset, 94 km away from Rabat.
Chief Executive Clarke told Proactive London that the licence is “a significant milestone for the project. This now gives us the rights to go forwards and mine the initial 19 year mine life that we’ve identified.”
The mine could possibly generate 1 million tonnes of de-icing salt and up to 735,000 tonnes of muriate of potash, according to a feasibility study reported by Reuters.
With the $400 million potash plant, the company seeks to be a continental leader in the sector.
“Currently there is no potash production in Africa and our target is to get established and be the first and then we’ve got access to what is a huge market for our products just in Africa without it going any further afield than that,” Clarke said.
The project could lead to a 40% rise in GDP for the local area. Also, 760 new jobs are expected to arise from the project.
The project also seeks to boost exports of Moroccan minerals by 8% and produce every year up to $63 million in taxes for the government of Morocco.
Golder Associates conducted a feasibility study which established that the project has the potential to become a world-class mine. It could become a “very rare asset” as a high margin mine of low-capital cost.
Construction of the mine should begin this year. Clarke told Reuters that the company wishes to start constructing the mine by the end of this year and begin production near the end of 2023.
