Business Opportunities in Submarine Mining: Mont Tropic, Morocco

Business Opportunities in Submarine Mining for CEIMJA GROUP

Mont Tropic hides something that changes the rules of the game. A European scientific study, confirmed by Medias24 on 30 June 2026, reveals phosphates and critical minerals in this underwater rise south of the Canary Islands, off the coast of the Moroccan Sahara. The quality of the phosphates matches that of onshore deposits. And not only that: there is cobalt, manganese, rare earths and yttrium. For CEIMJA GROUP, a diversified conglomerate, this is not just another geopolitical headline. It is a map of sector opportunities worth reading with pencil and paper.

Context: World Leadership in Phosphates

Morocco needs no introduction when we talk about phosphates. According to the US Geological Survey’s Mineral Commodity Summaries 2024, the Kingdom holds roughly 70% of the world’s phosphate rock reserves, more than 50 billion metric tons. Second place, China, stands at 3.2 billion. Less than 7%.

The OCP Group, the leading global exporter of phosphates and derivatives, produced around 12 million tons of phosphate rock in 2023. Its revenue was close to 94 billion MAD (~9.4 billion USD), according to its annual report. That leadership, added to the Mont Tropic resource, consolidates Morocco’s position in the global chain of critical minerals for the energy transition. Cobalt for batteries. Rare earths for defence electronics.

The Disputed Zone: A Legal Puzzle

Mont Tropic sits where the continental shelves of Morocco and Spain overlap. Bilateral negotiations for maritime delimitation in the Atlantic began in 2001. They were technically reactivated in 2022, after the joint declaration of April that year, in which Spain backed the Moroccan autonomy plan for the Sahara. There is no definitive agreement.

The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS, 1982) grants coastal states sovereign rights over the resources of their continental shelf up to 200 nautical miles. Up to 350 if natural extension is demonstrated. Morocco filed its submission with the UN Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLCS) in 2007. Spain did the same in 2009. The confirmed presence of phosphates and critical minerals at Mont Tropic makes an agreement urgent. Without one, orderly exploitation is on shaky ground.

Opportunities for the Moroccan Business Ecosystem

CEIMJA GROUP sees clear lines of business in marine exploration and future submarine mining along Morocco’s southern Atlantic coast, Dakhla, Laayoune, Tarfaya:

• Consulting and Economic Intelligence: Extracting minerals from the seabed demands feasibility studies, regulatory analysis and geopolitical risk assessment. Companies that want to position themselves in this offshore chain will need specialised advice. CEIMJA can offer economic intelligence to national and international investors.

• Specialised Training: Marine geology, offshore engineering, port logistics. Disciplines with growing demand in Morocco. Investing in training programmes, in partnership with Moroccan universities, builds the human capital for an industry that could contribute between 2 and 5 billion USD a year over the next 10 to 15 years. So say international consultancies.

• Port and Industrial Infrastructure: The southern Atlantic coast is shaping up as the natural logistics axis for processing and exporting marine minerals. Development of industrial zones, deep-water ports, processing plants. A long-term real estate and construction opportunity.

• Import-Export of Critical Minerals: Morocco, a logistics hub between Africa and Europe, can capture a significant share of the global trade in rare earths, cobalt and manganese. The energy transition is driving demand. The Kingdom’s strategic position enables efficient routes.

• Health and Occupational Safety: Deep submarine mining raises environmental and health challenges that are not yet fully assessed. Researching occupational safety protocols and studying ecological impacts are areas where CEIMJA, through its health division, can collaborate with research centres.

• Audiovisual and Positioning: Producing documentary and educational content about Morocco’s mineral wealth, focused on sustainability and sovereignty, reinforces the Kingdom’s image as a responsible mining power. A soft power tool that the audiovisual sector can capitalise on.

Risks and Realities

No opportunity comes without shadows. Delimitation with Spain could drag on for years. Deep submarine mining, at 1,000 to 3,000 metres depth, demands expensive technologies still in a global pilot phase. Pressure from environmental NGOs can be strong, as happens in other regions with polymetallic nodules. And the volatility of commodity prices is always lurking.

But Morocco has advantages others lack: consolidated leadership in phosphates, a privileged geographic position, institutional stability and a clear strategic vision for the blue economy. The monarchy has reiterated this on several occasions. The challenge is to turn that commitment into concrete opportunities for the Kingdom’s business fabric.

A Look Ahead

Mont Tropic is not a promise for tomorrow. It is a horizon 10 to 15 years out, conditioned by bilateral agreements, technological advances and regulatory frameworks. But those who understand the logic of strategic anticipation know that the time to act is now. Companies that invest in knowledge, training, infrastructure and technological alliances around submarine mining will be better positioned when the legal framework consolidates. CEIMJA GROUP, with its diversified portfolio and its presence in Morocco, can be a relevant player on this new frontier.