Morocco mining congress returns to Rabat for third edition in 2026

IMC 2026 will bring the Morocco International Mining Congress & Exhibition to Rabat from Oct. 6-8, 2026, for the first time in the capital. The event will spotlight Morocco’s push to strengthen its role in African and global mineral supply chains as the country expands mining investment, exploration and downstream industrial plans. Why it matters: - IMC 2026 is Morocco’s latest bid to position itself as a regional mining hub and a strategic link between Africa, Europe and global supply chains. - The event comes as Morocco ranks 15th in the Fraser Institute’s 2025 Investment Attractiveness Index for mining. - Morocco is using mining policy, exploration and downstream manufacturing to support broader economic diversification. - The congress also arrives after African mining leaders adopted the Marrakech Declaration in 2025, which emphasized environmental safeguards, social responsibility and better governance. What happened: - IMC 2026, the third edition of the Morocco International Mining Congress & Exhibition, will run from Oct. 6-8, 2026, in Rabat for the first time. - The event theme is “Towards a New Industrial Era – Africa as an Integrated Hub for Strategic Minerals Transformation.” - FDIM and AME Trade Ltd will organize the congress again. - The Ministry of Energy Transition & Sustainable Development, the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, and AMDIE are backing the event. - The Confédération Générale des Entreprises du Maroc is a partner. The details: - Morocco maintains regular production of phosphates, lead, zinc, copper, gold, silver, cobalt, manganese, fluorine and barite. - The country holds around three quarters of the world’s known phosphate reserves and is the top exporter of crude phosphates. - Morocco aims to more than double 2020 non-phosphate mining revenue to above $1.7 billion by 2030. - The government has released a public tender for exploration of precious and strategic minerals across eastern provinces covering about 13,000 square kilometers in the Tafilalet and Figuig mining basin. - Morocco says its regulatory, institutional and sustainability framework supports production of electro-molecules, minerals, metals and low-carbon and zero-carbon products. - The country’s geography places it between Africa, Europe, the Atlantic Basin and the rest of the world. - Morocco has launched a national digital mining registry to streamline licensing and reduce bureaucratic delays. - Morocco is the world’s ninth-largest cobalt producer, with output of about 2,000 tonnes a year. - The country wants to supply gigafactories in Kenitra and Tangier with domestically sourced critical minerals for battery and clean-energy manufacturing. Between the lines: - The move to Rabat signals a push to align the mining congress more closely with government policy and national industrial strategy. - Morocco’s focus on critical minerals and battery supply chains shows a shift from raw extraction toward more value-added industrial output. - The ESG emphasis from IMC 2025 suggests African mining organizers are targeting capital from investors that now screen projects on environmental and governance standards. - The push to simplify licensing points to a continued effort to reduce perceived regulatory risk for international investors. What’s next: - Organizers are likely to use IMC 2026 to showcase new exploration opportunities, policy reforms and investment prospects. - The congress is expected to build on IMC 2025, which drew more than 650 delegates from over 40 countries and more than 100 exhibitors. - Lead sponsors in 2025 included OCP, Managem, Aya Gold & Silver, CMT and Morocco Strategic Minerals. - More information is available at the event website .