Morocco aims to further exploit its cobalt reserves as part of the supply for rechargeable batteries. The demand for this mineral has increased significantly in recent years, given its increased use in the manufacture of rechargeable batteries for electric cars, telephones or other everyday tools.
Quoted by news agency Archyde.com, Abdellah Mouttaqui, secretary general of the National Hydrocarbons and Mines Office (ONHYM), said Morocco was making efforts to increase its cobalt production. Currently, the country is ninth globally, with a production of 1,900 tons in 2021, from 11 large reserves.
The agency is exploring other cobalt reserves in the Siroua region with the Moroccan mining company Managem, according to the same source. Last month, the company announced that it had reached an agreement with Glencore for a refining project at the Bou Azzer mine near Marrakech.
Archyde.com recalls that most of the cobalt in the world is extracted as a by-product of the production of copper or nickel. But in Morocco, the ore is still distinguished by its high purity, particularly in the Bou Azzer mine, according to the secretary general of ONHYM.