According to a report early this week by the Zawya news portal, citing Morocco’s Hespress newspaper, Morocco’s Energy and Sustainable Development Ministry “will soon” issue an environment permit for Isle of Man-based Emmerson Plc’s Khemisset potash and salt project in the north of the country.
Emmerson said in early January the environmental permit had advanced closer to approval after a number of important issues that had held up progress had been resolved (GM Jan. 13, p. 31).
However, the company added that the environmental discussions were now focused on water issues. Morocco has suffered from periods of drought in recent years, and so ensuring sources of water remain free of contamination remain a key concern.
In a FY2022 financial results and first quarter 2023 update on April 13, Emmerson said the timing of the financial close for the project clearly will depend above all on securing the environmental approval, and “on that basis is unlikely to be sooner than fourth quarter 2023.”
The company is targeting annual potash production of some 800,000 mt/y and 1 million mt/y of salt production at Khemisset.