Mauritania embarks on phosphate mining journey to boost economy after 43 years
Mauritania is set to launch a monumental project to advance the mining of phosphate in the country.
An announcement from the Ministry of Petroleum, Mines, and Energy indicated that the government has begun processes to establish a processing plant for phosphate extraction from the Bofal- Loubeïra mines, in Brakna in South West Mauritania.
The project expected to be launched on January 28, 2024, will produce tonnes of phosphate estimated at 166 million from the country’s first reserves.
The factory will be developed in stages with the first stone laid on Sunday with a one-year period for acquisition of equipment and construction infrastructure for the evaluation of the true capacities of the mine, according to the Sahara Media.
The move follows several unsuccessful attempts in the past to mine the element since the 1980s, with the latest attempt in 2017 after a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between Chinese and Sudanese companies.
The MoU was undertaken with the consortium for the construction of a railway linking the mine to the port of Nouakchott at a construction cost of $620 million.
Before this, the phosphate company was created in 2002 to develop the mine and in 2003 a study was conducted to explore the construction of a rail for the transportation of raw phosphate to the port. After some misunderstanding, work was stalled.
Efforts from some Russian, German, and Indian investors to work on a mine for the exploration of the element also failed.
The latest move is the most effective since mid-2017 when an operating limit was granted to a Mauritania-Saudi company of which the Mauritanian state holds 20% and the Saudi company El Majed investment 80%.
The Bofal mine project is expected to begin later after the laying of the first stone according to the ministry responsible for mines, considering the mine can be exploited for 30 years.
The government is optimistic that the project will contribute significantly to boosting the Mauritanian economy through the creation of employment and the generation of income.
Phosphate is also used extensively in the agricultural sector to improve plant fertilisers for maximum output.
