Morocco’s OCP Group SA announced on June 14 that it has broken ground on the first wholly-owned purified phosphoric acid (PPA) plant integrated to technical MAP in Jorf Lasfar.
The first phase consists of 200,000 mt/y P2O5 of pretreated phosphoric acid capacity, 100,000 mt/y P2O5 of PPA capacity, 100,000 mt/y of technical MAP capacity, and further downstream activities, including phosphate salts and lithium iron phosphate (LFP) capacities.
Commissioning of the first phase is scheduled for mid-2026 and marks the first step in building a Specialty Phosphate Complex within Jorf Lasfar. For the first phase buildup, OCP is assisted by JESA, a joint venture between OCP and WorleyParsons, an African leader in technology, design, engineering, and project delivery services, together with its affiliate JESA Technologies.
The Specialty Phosphate Complex at Jorf Lasfar is scheduled to commission between 2026 and 2029 and aims to support OCP’s efforts in addressing global sustainability challenges such as water saving agriculture, food conservation, and the global energy transition.
OCP last August announced plans to build four new plants to be completed by 2028 for the production of PPA and technical MAP (GM Aug. 18, 2023). OCP said the new production facilities will be built within the group’s existing industrial platforms, with the first PPA and the technical MAP units targeting an equivalent annual production capacity of 120,000-150,00 mt/y P2O5.
“The project is part of OCP’s strategy to meet the growing demand for use of PPA and technical MAP as captive inputs in other products such as lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries and phosphate salts, as well as the growing needs of horticulture and water-stressed agriculture markets around the world,” the company reported in August.