Morocco, which mined antimony, extracted from stibnite ore, during the colonial era, is now re-engaging with the sector. In early June, the Canadian company Steadright Critical Minerals announced that it had acquired a majority stake in a Moroccan firm specializing in antimony exploration. Around the same time, the British company Xtract Resources secured a mining license for the Amghas mine, which it had pursued for nearly a year.
Although little known, antimony has a rich history, beginning with its name, for which numerous explanations have been proposed. Among the most credible, « antimony » is said to mean « against solitude » in Greek, since it is rarely found alone in its pure metallic state. Others trace the name to the belief that the element killed several monks in the Middle Ages. Another legend holds antimony responsible for the death of the maestro Mozart, supposedly following an overdose.
Today, the story is very different: antimony has become a serious matter. The metalloid ;a semiconducting metal; is classified as a critical mineral, particularly by the United States, the European Union, and Japan. It is used in strategic industries such as defense, energy, and clean technology, says Youssef Atif, a geologist and associate professor at Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah University in Fez.
Morocco, a Mining Eldorado
For now, as with many essential resources, the bulk of global antimony production (nearly 50%) comes from China. But Morocco is beginning to attract investment.
In the space of a year, three foreign companies have expressed interest, and some have already begun drilling. In March 2025, the Australian company Zeus Resources announced that it had acquired the Casablanca Antimony project near Khouribga; a year later, it confirmed the site’s potential.
« The Khénifra-M’rirt-Tighza corridor should prove particularly promising for antimony exploration (a critical mineral, ed.) »
More recently, it was Xtract Resources’ turn to obtain drilling authorization in Morocco, at the Amghas mine site in the province of Khénifra. « The Khénifra-M’rirt-Tighza corridor should prove particularly promising » says Youssef Atif. The area features hydrothermal systems, involving the underground circulation of hot water, that favor antimony concentration and lie along major tectonic structures. The expert also points to the historic antimony mine at Beni Mzala-Fnideq, which closed in the 1980s.
Steadright Critical Minerals, for its part, has signaled its interest in antimony by acquiring an 80% stake in Exterra Mining & Exploration, a Moroccan company that holds three antimony exploration permits. The Canadian group was already present in Morocco, with assets in titanium, copper, and silver.
Electric batteries and defense
These announcements are neither trivial nor surprising. Antimony has grown increasingly strategic in recent years, particularly in the battery and defense sectors, notes Mostafa Benzaazoua, president of the Geology and Sustainable Mining Institute (GSMI) at Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P).
Antinomy is used chiefly in the form of compounds or alloys. « It can be used in flame retardants, to prevent the spread of fire, but also in alloys with lead, to make it harder. More broadly, it is used in the chemical, glass, and semiconductor industries » Youssef Atif explains.
« Ultimately, with the energy transition, antimony could become a strategic mineral, provided that a local value chain is developed, ranging from exploration to processing »
In Morocco, antimony could find use in the chemical, materials, and energy storage sectors. « In the long term, with the energy transition, it could become a strategic mineral, provided that a local value chain is developed, from exploration to processing » Atif observes. Exploration, for now, is carried out exclusively by junior mining companies. « It generally takes between five and ten years to move from exploration to processing. If the results are positive, major mining groups typically step in to take over from the junior companies and secure supply » he notes.
Strengthening Local Value Creation
The GSMI president echoes his colleague’s view. « Beyond producing mineral concentrate, the challenge is to broaden the value chain for this metal by developing metallurgical processes » he suggests. Antimony could thus be folded into existing value chains in Morocco, such as the electric battery sector.
« In the electric vehicle sector, its role remains indirect but real, particularly in auxiliary systems and certain emerging energy storage technologies » says Youssef Atif, adding that antimony helps reinforce battery plates, especially those in lead-acid batteries.
Before it can be used in industry, antimony must undergo a metallurgical process that turns the extracted stibnite into ingots. Mostafa Benzaazoua argues that this processing should take place locally, to avoid exporting stibnite only to reimport antimony metal afterward.
Antimony also has applications in defense, as well as in the electronics and aerospace sectors, both of which are expanding rapidly in Morocco. « There is every reason to develop these value chains for these new substances, which until now have been limited to producing ores or concentrates before being sold abroad » he continues.
Exporting in the Face of Competition from China
Against this backdrop, Morocco could now sell processed antimony on the global market. Faced with the Chinese monopoly, it could come out ahead given the geopolitical tensions. Like gallium and graphite, exports of the metal remain subject to the decisions of the Chinese government, which is in constant conflict with the United States and Europe.
While Morocco cannot rival major producers such as China, Russia, or Turkey, « it can position itself as an alternative supplier, particularly for Europe, thanks to its stability, geographic proximity, infrastructure, and mining experience » Atif emphasizes.
Many years of exploration and metallurgical work will still be needed before the ore can be marketed in Europe. But developing this resource, which the world is rediscovering, could, in the decades ahead, once again place Morocco among the world’s leading mining nations.
As dangerous as arsenic
Between the16thand17thcenturies, Western physicians were divided over it: some credited it with healing properties for treating constipation and fever, while others called for it to be banned as a deadly substance.
Sitting next to the better-known arsenic on the periodic table, antimony is indeed quite toxic. The two elements are often found together in their natural state, so mining operations warrant close attention.
When a copper or gold concentrate contains antimony or arsenic, the environmental stakes are considerable, Mostafa Benzaazoua explains. « We must redouble our efforts to control pollution. The environmental challenges at antimony mines are significant » he confirms. Youssef Atif stresses the need for modern, well-regulated mining practices to protect soil and water in rural areas from the risks the activity carries.
Written in French by Salomé Krumenacher, edited in English by Amina Kadiri & Zakaria Choukrallah
