Morocco’s Ministry of Energy Transition and Sustainable Development has announced a major project to explore and develop precious and base metals across a vast area near the country’s eastern border with Algeria, covering around 13,000 square kilometers.
In an official statement issued on Monday, the ministry said it had launched a broad call for tenders aimed at enhancing the mining potential of the Tafilalet and Figuig regions. The project targets the exploration and extraction of gold, silver, copper, and other minerals across an area larger than several countries, including Qatar, Jamaica, and Lebanon.
The call for competition, issued under announcement No. DGMH/2026/1, includes 361 designated “areas of interest” within the Tafilalet–Figuig mining basin. These zones represent about 22 percent of the total mining area concerned and are located in close proximity to Morocco’s eastern frontier.
According to the ministry, the initiative seeks to inject new momentum into the mining sector through a revised approach based on four key pillars. These include a multi-criteria evaluation system that takes into account technical, financial, social and local economic aspects, with a particular focus on health and safety standards.
The project also emphasizes improved management of land and natural resources by encouraging the use of renewable energy, rationalizing raw material consumption and adopting circular economy principles. Additional incentives will be granted to proposals that present integrated models for sustainable mining, combining renewable energy, storage technologies and resource valorization.
The fourth pillar involves implementing the principles of the Marrakech Declaration adopted on November 24, 2025, during the International Conference on Mines of Morocco, by integrating environmental, social and governance (ESG) standards into project selection and management.
The ministry said the new framework aims to optimally valorize the region’s significant mineral resources, including gold, silver, copper, lead, zinc, barite and other listed materials.
Interested operators have been invited to submit their applications by May 15, 2026, at 4:30 p.m., either to the regional directorate in Errachidia for projects in the Drâa-Tafilalet region or to the regional directorate in Oujda for projects in the Oriental region.
The ministry concluded that the initiative, prepared in consultation with relevant stakeholders, reaffirms Morocco’s commitment to promoting sustainable, responsible and inclusive mining development that supports economic and social growth in the Tafilalet and Figuig areas.
