OCP launches potash project in Khemisset in bid to expand food security

The OCP Group announced that the company is embarking on a potash mining project in the Khemisset region, located 80 km east of Rabat, in partnership with ONHYM. The project aims to extract and enrich potash ore in the region.

The mining operation will be conducted under two licenses, covering 176 km2 in the central Khemisset, Sidi Daoud, and Oued Beht zones.

Through the Khemisset mining project, the OCP Group aims to further its commitment to sustainable agriculture and its contribution to global food security.

At the national level, this project will not only establish the country’s self-sufficiency in a crucial resource for plant nutrition but also foster a new socio-economic dynamic in the Khemisset region, according to OCP’s press release.

Following promising results from pre-feasibility studies, the Khemisset mining project has already completed several key milestones, including geological exploration densification, commencement of feasibility studies, and certification of estimated resources at nearly 350 million tons.

The studies and execution of the project have been entrusted to JESA, a subsidiary of the OCP Group.

JESA, as a leading African company in engineering, consulting, and project management, brings extensive expertise and engineering know-how, which are critical to the successful implementation of the project.

The Khemisset mining project is currently in an advanced stage of development. To access the potash deposits, a tunnel is being excavated and has already reached a depth of over 1000 meters. Another tunnel will be initiated very soon.

The OCP Group emphasizes its commitment to sustainable exploitation of the potash ore, as highlighted in the press release, noting that a research program has been jointly developed with UM6P (Mohammed VI Polytechnic University).

This program intends to develop innovative processes for ore treatment, optimize water usage, and improve the use of liquid and solid waste products.