Massive Phosphate Discovery in Norway Challenges Morocco’s Market Dominance

With an estimated quantity of 70 billion tons, the deposit could meet the world’s phosphorus needs for the fertilizer industry, solar panels, and electric vehicle batteries for the next century.

"When you find something of this magnitude in Europe, exceeding all other sources we know of, it’s considerable," said Michael Wurmser, founder of Norge Mining, to Euractiv. The European Commission also welcomed this discovery, describing the information as an "excellent news" for the achievement of the objectives of the proposed regulation on critical raw materials.

About 90% of global phosphorites are used in the production of agricultural fertilizers, where there is currently no substitute. Nevertheless, phosphorus also finds its use in the manufacture of solar panels, electric vehicle batteries and semiconductors. These products have "strategic importance" for Europe in order to maintain its position as a global leader in the production of key technologies for the ecological and digital transition, according to the European Commission.

Phosphorite, an increasingly scarce resource, is held by four or five major non-European suppliers, including Morocco, according to the Critical Raw Materials Alliance. This scarcity of supply coupled with strong demand is leading to rising prices. However, Mr. Wurmser believes that Norway could comply with stricter environmental standards during the extraction and refining of phosphorus.