A little more than six years after the launch of its first Fluorine beneficiation and transformation mining project near Taourirt, the Indian company Gujarat Fluorochemicals Limited plans to invest $10 million to increase its production capacity, going from 40 000 to 60,000 tonnes.
GFL GM Fluorspar SA, the Moroccan subsidiary created in 2011 to operate a fluorite beneficiation and transformation mine near Taourirt (120 km from Oujda), plans to invest $100 million to increase its production capacity to 60 000 tonnes, compared to only 40,000 tonnes at start-up, twelve years after obtaining the operating permit. This production will be almost entirely intended for export to Europe and other Mediterranean countries via the port of Nador, located less than 100 km away. Note that the mine and processing plant have been operational since 2018 with a current capacity of 40,000 tonnes per year.
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Growth in global demand
Global demand for fluorite and derived hydrofluoric acid is growing strongly, leading to a significant increase in the prices of this mineral. This is used in the manufacture of various products such as refrigerators, ceramics, aerosols and air conditioners. This trend probably pushed the group, listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange, to invest more in its Moroccan mine, whose hydrofluoric acid is of very good quality, with a low content of arsenic and phosphorus.
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Position of Morocco in world production
In 2022, thanks to the El Hamman mine (located 80 km from Meknes) operated by Samine, a subsidiary of the Managem group, Morocco produced nearly 100,000 tonnes of fluorite, placing it among the top 15 producers in the world. However, it remains far behind China and Mexico, which hold 61% and 19% respectively of global production, estimated at around 6 million tonnes. Due to its phosphate deposits, which contain fluorite in small quantities, Morocco could significantly increase its production, provided that the economic equation between extraction costs and fluorite prices is favorable.
