On Monday, the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources signed a memorandum of understanding with the Arab Mining Company to explore for phosphates in the Risha region on the eastern borders of the Kingdom.

The memorandum was signed by the Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources, Saleh Al-Kharabsheh, and on behalf of Arab Mining, Chairman of the Board of Directors, Muhammad Al-Shehhi.

Minister Kharabsheh said in a press statement after the signing that the memorandum of understanding for the exploitation of phosphates in the Risha area, which lasts for 12 months, allows the Arab Mining Company to explore for phosphates in an area estimated at 305 square kilometers by conducting geological studies and digging a network of exploratory wells as part of an exploration program for the exploration area.

Al-Kharabsheh stressed that the memorandum is the first of its kind in the field of exploiting phosphate ores in the eastern region of the Kingdom and comes within the package of the national mining program within the framework of the efforts of the Ministry of Energy to restore momentum to the mining sector in the field of strategic ores and minerals, stressing that it will not be allowed to export production in the form of crude, but will Exploiting it in the manufacturing industries to maximize the benefit of this great national project.

Minister Kharabsheh described the mining sector as one of the sectors defined by the economic modernization plan as having high industrial value. Work is underway to triple its contribution to the GDP and quadruple the value of exports based on the hoped-for results reached so far.

He said that the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources gives priority, at this stage, to the mining sector due to its importance in providing the national economy with added value through the establishment of manufacturing and chemical industries in the areas where phosphate ore is located and the expansion of job opportunities in a way that contributes to efforts to achieve sustainable development.

Minister Kharabsheh revealed the possibility of establishing a public shareholding company linked to the project, and offering part of its shares to Jordanian citizens, “to maximize the benefits that accrue to the country and the citizen.”

For his part, Al-Shehhi said that the company, after the stage of phosphate exploration in the region, will establish specialized factories to exploit the ore and produce materials such as phosphoric acid and many other fertilizer products to serve the Arab world to achieve food security, stressing the importance of the great return of these industries on the economies of countries that implement such projects.

He added, “The signing of the agreement with the Ministry today to exploit the phosphate ore in the Risha area is an important step in the history of the Arab Mining Company, adding to the success stories achieved by the company at the level of the Arab world.”

Al-Shehhi appreciated the step of signing the agreement between the two sides and the role of the ministry in providing the opportunity for the company to be part of the economic component in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, pointing out that the signing of the agreement is only the beginning of great cooperation between the two parties in several fields that will be witnessed in the near future.

The Arab Mining Company had submitted a letter of interest to the Ministry of Energy earlier, expressing its desire to conduct prospecting studies to assess the economic feasibility of phosphate ore in the east of the Kingdom through the direct supply of strategic raw materials. .

And the Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources, Dr. Saleh Al-Kharabsheh, launched in December 2021 the exploration of phosphate ore in the Risha region, paving the way for an integrated relationship between the Risha gas field and the phosphate exploration project, which is a national project implemented with national arms and capabilities, stressing that the results are the priority for exploration in the region. About phosphates.

The initial exploration exploration program launched by the ministry included more than 90 square kilometers, where more than 55 wells were drilled. The results of the technical report, which was published in 2022/September, showed the presence of a high quality of phosphate, which reached its highest level at 36% of the concentration of phosphorus pentaxide. With an average soil cover of 10 meters, high thicknesses of phosphates ranging from 4 to 8 meters, and low mineral impurities, the total of which did not exceed 0.1% of the main oxides. The study estimated the existence of high reserves that exceeded 750 million tons of phosphate ore within the study area.

In light of this, the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources declared the Risha area an open area for investment for phosphate ore within the various manufacturing industries exclusively and without allowing the export of crude without manufacturing operations in order to raise the added value and investment returns and in line with the vision of economic modernization.

The Ministry of Energy had earlier signed several memorandums of understanding that are still valid with several local and international companies to study the economic feasibility of strategic ores of rare earth elements, gold, copper and lithium, and it is expected in the middle of next year that the companies will provide the Ministry of Energy with their studies, which determine if they are interested. Continuing to exploit these raw materials according to the results of the economic feasibility of these raw materials and signing franchise and mining rights for each company and within the areas specified in the memorandums of understanding.

The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources is currently working through its technical committees to study several letters of interest and files for international and local companies to exploit phosphates in new areas in the Risha area and rock potash in the Dead Sea tongue area.

The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources and the Arab Mining Company had earlier signed two memorandums of understanding to explore for gold ores in the Jabal Mubarak region and lithium ore in the Feynan region. Technical services to implement the terms of the memorandum of understanding signed with the Ministry of Energy.

The signing ceremony was attended by the Secretary General of the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, Amani Al-Azzam, the Director General of the Arab Mining Company, Hassan Takrouri, the Director of the Investment Department / Arab Mining Company, Taha Al-Khawaldeh, the Director of Contributions and Investments in the company, Muzaffar Nawaf Al-Qadi, and the Director of Studies at the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, Hisham Al-Zyoud.

It is noteworthy that the Arab Mining Company, based in Amman, was established in 1975 by a decision of the Council of Arab Economic Unity in the League of Arab States. The number of projects in which it has contributed so far has reached 25 extractive, industrial and commercial projects distributed in 11 Arab countries.