By: AGBI

Jordan plans to invite bids for a large-scale survey to assess the country’s phosphate reserves.

The kingdom is one of the world’s largest phosphate exporters and its reserves are officially estimated at 1-1.3 billion tonnes.

Much of Jordan, which is heavily reliant on phosphate exports, tourism and aid from the oil-rich Gulf, has remained unexplored, officials said in late 2024, adding that the real phosphate wealth could be much bigger.

Jordan’s ministry of energy and mineral resources said on Thursday that it would issue tenders to specialised consulting companies. These will be “for the purposes of collecting, reviewing and analysing all existing geological, geophysical, geochemical and exploratory data related to phosphate deposits in Jordan”.

The aim of the 270-day survey is to develop a comprehensive strategy to develop the country’s mining sector and tap natural resources, the ministry said on its website.

“Phosphate is a fundamental component of the national economy, as Jordan is ranked among the major producers of phosphate at the regional and global levels,” the ministry added.

“Despite decades of extraction and production operations, large parts of the kingdom’s territory remain unexplored or under-evaluated for phosphate resources.

“Urban expansion, new environmental regulations, and technological advances in exploration and extraction techniques require a modern and comprehensive reassessment of the country’s phosphate potential,” the statement said.

Jordan’s phosphate industry is managed by the state-controlled Phosphate Mines Company, one of the world’s largest producers of the mineral.

The company said this year it is planning to invest nearly JD1.27 billion ($1.8 billion) in new projects within a short-term expansion strategy.

Government data showed the company, a public holding venture listed on Amman’s bourse, produced nearly 11.5 million tonnes of phosphates in 2024.