A British mining company is now one step closer to producing antimony in Morocco after securing a 10-year mining licence for its Amghas project in Khenifra province.
Xtract Resources said the licence, which can be renewed, allows it to move ahead with plans to start production by the end of 2026. Investors welcomed the news, sending the company’s shares up nearly 16% on London’s AIM market.
The company has already started moving equipment from its pilot plant in Casablanca to the mine site. Its Moroccan subsidiary, Wildstone SARL, is also completing the final permits needed to process ore at the project.
Once operational, the processing plant will be able to handle around 70,000 tonnes of ore a year. Xtract expects to begin producing and selling antimony concentrate in the fourth quarter of 2026.
Antimony has become an increasingly sought-after mineral because it is used in batteries, semiconductors, military equipment and flame-resistant materials.
Demand has risen as countries look for alternatives to China, which produces almost half of the world’s mined antimony and dominates the refining market. Recent Chinese export restrictions have increased concerns about supply shortages in Western countries.
For Xtract Resources, the timing could be favourable.
The Amghas site is not a new discovery. It was previously mined until the 1950s, meaning some underground infrastructure is already in place. That could help speed up development.
Xtract Resources plans to begin with a relatively simple processing method known as gravity separation. The plant will process about 300 tonnes of ore a day and produce concentrate containing between 15% and 26% antimony.
Material left over from this stage will be stored and processed later in a larger flotation plant. Tests have shown that flotation could produce concentrates containing as much as 65% antimony.
To keep the plant running at full capacity, Wildstone also plans to buy ore from nearby mines and small-scale miners in the region, rather than relying solely on production from Amghas.
Xtract Resources owns 80% of Wildstone, the Moroccan company that holds the project.
Key figures for the project include a 10-year renewable mining licence, a planned processing capacity of 70,000 tonnes a year and a target production start date in late 2026.
