Photos: Egypt breaks ground on $658M phosphoric acid complex in New Valley

CAIRO – 19 August 2026: Egypt has broken ground on its first industrial complex for producing phosphoric acid from locally mined phosphate ore at Abu Tartour Plateau in New Valley, with investments of $658 million.

Petroleum and Mineral Resources Minister Karim Badawi and New Valley Governor Hanan Magdy laid the foundation stone for the project, which aims to increase the value of Egypt’s mineral resources by transforming raw phosphate into higher-value products and industries.

The complex will produce 250,000 tons of high-concentration commercial phosphoric acid annually in its first phase. The product is a key raw material in fertilizer manufacturing, the ministry said in a statement.

 

Badawi said the Abu Tartour complex is among the country’s major projects aimed at maximizing the value of Egyptian phosphate.

It reflects a shift from using raw materials in their primary form toward developing processing industries that generate higher-value products, boost exports and save foreign currency.

He described the project as a success story after the ministry overcame obstacles that had delayed its implementation for years, allowing construction to begin following coordination among the ministry, the Mineral Resources and Mining Industries Authority and the project’s shareholders.

 

The project will be implemented by Chinese companies CSCEC and ECEC using advanced technologies and is scheduled for completion within 30 months, according to the ministry.

Its output will be exported through Safaga Port, generating foreign currency and supporting Egypt’s export capacity. The project is expected to create more than 3,000 direct and indirect jobs.

Badawi also highlighted the importance of mining industries to the development of New Valley Governorate, which is rich in mineral resources and deposits.

 

Planned Industrial Complexes

During his visit to the project site, the minister was briefed by Egyptian private-sector mining companies Movingfert and Genesis Mining on plans to establish two integrated industrial complexes over the medium term.

The planned facilities would combine phosphate extraction with downstream processing to produce higher-value products.

The projects reflect growing private-sector interest in Egypt’s mining industries and the sector’s shift from simply extracting raw materials toward developing integrated production chains that generate greater value for the Egyptian economy, the ministry noted.