Fertile ground for investment: The Egyptian Mineral Resources Authority (EMRA), East Gas Company and IMEX International have signed a shareholders agreement to establish a company for upgrading phosphate ores — one of the key components used to make chemical fertilizers — according to a statement from the Oil Ministry. The company will earmark USD 250 mn to build a facility with an annual processing capacity of 1 mn tons.

What’s phosphate ore upgrading? Natural phosphate rocks are graded based on the content of phosphorus pentoxide. However, the levels of phosphorus pentoxide in low-grade ores can be artificially increased through various methods to increase its utility — and by extension price.

They already have the upgrading recipe in mind: The company will use a patent method for upgrading phosphate ores called GetMoreP, which was developed and is being licensed by the Belgium-based company Prayon, the statement read, adding that the method can increase phosphorus pentoxide levels in ores to 37%.

Déjà vu? The Public Enterprises Ministry oversaw a similar agreement in January to set up a company tasked with increasing the concentration of phosphate ore via a new factory, in cooperation with Al Nasr Mining, Al Safy Group, and India-based Wilson.

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