The industrial development of this phosphate in several emerging economies has spurred global interest in obtaining it and, above all, in establishing the necessary safety conditions for its use. It is contaminated by chemical and radioactive materials, but its use in agriculture, aerospace, construction, electric vehicle manufacturing and defence has proven productive. Phosphogypsum is calcium sulphate hydrate formed as a residue from the production of fertiliser from phosphate rock. PHOTO/ARCHIVO - Logo of Rainbow Rare Earths, the British company specialising in the extraction of rare earths
The mining company, which specialises in the extraction of these rare elements that are increasingly used in various industrial sectors, explains in the statement that OCP Group "has accumulated significant intellectual property assets, know-how and experience in the field of phosphogypsum processing" through its collaboration with the research centre, which "offers a synergistic opportunity for joint development". The parties also intend to "continue research" to improve techniques for obtaining this material "from phosphogypsum". British giant Rainbow Rare Earths has reached a tripartite agreement with Moroccan state-owned phosphate and fertiliser company OCP Group and the Mohamed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P), a private, non-profit research centre, to develop an optimal pathway for extracting and processing rare earths.