Morocco: OCP Targets Uranium Production from Phosphates by 2028

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Morocco is preparing to expand the industrial value of its phosphate reserves by exploring the recovery of uranium, a strategic resource with growing importance for the global nuclear energy sector. The OCP Group is reportedly negotiating a potential partnership with French energy companies EDF and Orano to develop an industrial facility capable of producing uranium concentrate as early as 2028.

The initiative could mark a significant development in Morocco's industrial strategy, allowing the country to extract greater value from its phosphate resources while opening up opportunities in the international nuclear fuel supply chain.

OCP, EDF and Orano Explore Industrial Partnership

Discussions between the three groups reportedly began following French President Emmanuel Macron's state visit to Morocco in October 2024. According to information published by the French newspaper Le Monde on November 13, 2026, negotiations could lead to the signing of a memorandum of understanding during a potential state visit by His Majesty King Mohammed VI to Paris, which the French presidency hopes to organize in January 2027.

The proposed project would involve establishing an industrial unit near OCP's major phosphate processing complex in Jorf Lasfar. Its primary objective would be to recover uranium naturally contained in phosphate rock during the production of phosphoric acid, a key component used in manufacturing agricultural fertilizers.

The resulting material, known as yellowcake, is a concentrated form of uranium that can subsequently undergo further processing for use in the nuclear fuel cycle. Initial production could begin in 2028, provided the technical and economic requirements are met.

Ambitious Production Targets for 2030

OCP's ambitions extend beyond the construction of a single processing facility. The Moroccan group reportedly aims to develop phosphoric acid production capacities by 2030 that would enable uranium recovery equivalent to the requirements of approximately 15 nuclear power plants.

Achieving this objective would represent a substantial expansion of the group's industrial activities, positioning phosphate processing as a potential source of strategic materials in addition to its established role in fertilizer production.

The initiative is also supported by research conducted jointly with French partners. In January 2026, Orano Chairman Claude Imauven confirmed during a hearing before the French Senate that the company was working with Morocco on technologies designed to extract uranium from phosphate deposits.

A Project with Earlier Industrial Foundations

Cooperation between Morocco and French nuclear industry players on phosphate-based uranium recovery is not entirely new. In 2007, Areva, which later became Orano, signed an agreement with OCP during a visit to Morocco by then-French President Nicolas Sarkozy. However, that initiative did not progress beyond the negotiation stage.

Previous industrial experience has nevertheless demonstrated that uranium can be recovered from Moroccan phosphates. Belgian company Prayon, in which OCP holds a stake, reportedly extracted approximately 700 tonnes of uranium from Moroccan phosphate resources before discontinuing the activity because operating costs were too high.

The current economic environment appears more favorable. Higher uranium market prices, combined with technological improvements in extraction processes, are helping renew interest in this previously underdeveloped industrial opportunity.

A recent small-scale production test reportedly delivered encouraging results, according to an OCP insider cited by Le Monde. This development could strengthen confidence in the commercial viability of a larger operation.

France Seeks to Diversify Its Uranium Supplies

The potential agreement also carries strategic importance for France. Orano is seeking to broaden its uranium supply sources following the loss of its mining operations in Niger, making alternative international partnerships increasingly important.

A Moroccan production facility could therefore offer the French nuclear industry an additional source of supply while reinforcing industrial cooperation between the two countries.

For Morocco, the opportunity goes beyond strengthening bilateral relations. Access to uranium recovery technologies could help OCP move further into strategic raw materials and diversify its position within international industrial value chains.

A New Dimension for Morocco's Phosphate Industry

If successfully implemented, the project could transform part of Morocco's phosphate processing industry into an additional source of valuable strategic resources. Rather than focusing exclusively on fertilizers and phosphoric acid derivatives, the country would be able to explore the commercial potential of materials currently recovered only to a limited extent.

Nevertheless, the transition from research and pilot production to large-scale industrial operations will depend on extraction efficiency, investment requirements, operating costs and the regulatory framework governing uranium production.

The coming months could therefore prove decisive for the negotiations between OCP, EDF and Orano. If an agreement is reached and the necessary conditions are fulfilled, Morocco could emerge as a new participant in the international uranium market, adding a strategic dimension to its long-standing phosphate industry and its industrial partnership with France.