"Amasin Project": Ouarzazate on the Brink of a $60 Billion Mineral Revolution
Canadian company Catalyst Mines Inc., specializing in mineral exploration, has announced remarkable results from its 2025 spring campaign at the "Amasin" project located in the Ouarzazate region, southern Morocco.
The campaign revealed exceptional concentrations of chrome, alongside promising indications of nickel and cobalt, reinforcing Morocco’s position as a strategic supplier of essential minerals needed for energy transition and clean technology industries.
The detected chrome concentrations reached 270,350 parts per million, placing the project among the world’s leading initiatives and opening promising prospects for the local economy, particularly in sectors related to renewable energy and batteries.
The "Amasin" project is considered a turning point for Morocco’s mining infrastructure, with estimates indicating it contains approximately 609 million tons of rock rich in strategic minerals, with an initial value exceeding $60 billion.
This discovery represents a unique opportunity for the kingdom to enhance its capabilities in producing minerals aimed at stainless steel and battery manufacturing, which could contribute to the rapidly growing electric vehicle industry.
Amid these developments, the project emerges as a key driver for energy transition efforts in the region, bolstering Morocco’s positioning on the global map of future industries based on rare minerals.
Economic analyst Mohamed Sari commented that Morocco possesses some of the finest cobalt in the world, emphasizing that this metal, known as "blue gold," is not a recent discovery but has been used for centuries in various industries, reflecting its historical and strategic value.
Sari noted that cobalt has evolved in its applications due to technological advances, becoming an essential component in the manufacturing of semiconductors, computers, and smartphones, as well as improving fuel quality and contributing to carbon emission reductions, making it an environmentally friendly element.
He pointed out that Morocco currently ranks 11th globally among cobalt-producing countries and is one of seven African nations with significant cobalt reserves. He also highlighted that circulating data regarding reserves valued at $60 billion in the Ouarzazate area, if confirmed, could propel Morocco into the ranks of the top three strategic mineral-producing countries.
Sari suggested that these discoveries, if validated, could lead to a fundamental shift in the economic landscape of the southern regions, especially Ouarzazate, which may evolve into a new developmental hub, particularly given its substantial solar energy potential. He added that this renewable energy source could enhance cobalt production quality and boost its future applications.
Sari explained that with this mineral wealth, Morocco is poised to play a leading role both regionally and internationally, noting that the opportunity is ripe to attract significant foreign investments, particularly from China, especially given that electric vehicle batteries represent between 40% and 60% of the vehicle’s manufacturing costs.
He also mentioned that global demand for cobalt and lithium is expected to rise unprecedentedly, considering their pivotal role in battery production, which opens the door for investments from Chinese, European, and American entities, especially as the U.S. grapples with a severe shortage of these vital materials.
In this context, Sari believes Morocco could become a preferred destination for several major global tech companies due to its availability of essential minerals for computers and smartphones, positioning the kingdom as a key player in global supply chains.
Locally, Sari views these discoveries as good news for a region facing developmental challenges and a lack of industrial infrastructure, stressing that launching major investment projects could create job opportunities and stimulate the local economy.
Regarding infrastructure, he called for accelerating the pace of road link projects, especially since the current road through the Tichka pass does not keep pace with the anticipated dynamics. He stressed the importance of completing the tunnel linking Marrakech and Ouarzazate, considering its role in reducing travel time and facilitating investor access.
Sari concluded his statement by affirming that optimally exploiting these discoveries could position Morocco as a pivotal player in global electronic and renewable energy industries, not only through cooperation with China but also by attracting major investments from Europe and the United States.
