IMC Morocco 2026 returns to Rabat in October

The International Mining Congress and Exhibition of Morocco will hold its third edition in Rabat from Oct. 6-8, 2026, bringing together miners, investors and policymakers around Africa’s mineral-processing ambitions. The event comes as Morocco leans on its rising mining profile, new exploration activity and push to strengthen its role in global critical minerals supply chains. Why it matters: - IMC Morocco 2026 is positioned as a regional showcase for Morocco’s mining ambitions and Africa’s push to move beyond raw extraction into mineral transformation. - The event lands as Morocco uses mining policy, exploration and infrastructure to attract investment and deepen its role in global supply chains. - The congress also follows a year in which the sector adopted new environmental, social and governance commitments in Marrakech. What happened: - IMC 2026, the third International Mining Congress and Exhibition of Morocco, will take place Oct. 6-8, 2026, in Rabat for the first time. - The event is organized by the Federation of the Mineral Industry of Morocco (FDIM) and AME Trade Ltd. - The conference theme is “Vers une nouvelle ère industrielle – l’Afrique, hub intégré de la transformation des minerais stratégiques.” - The Ministry of Energy Transition and Sustainable Development, the Ministry of Industry and Trade and AMDIE are supporting the event. - The General Confederation of Moroccan Enterprises is a partner. The details: - Morocco ranked 15th globally in the 2025 Fraser Institute Annual Survey of Mining Companies investment attractiveness index. - The ranking reflects Morocco’s effort to diversify its economy and become a strategic hub in global mineral supply chains. - Morocco’s mining strengths include regulatory, institutional and sustainability advantages, along with resources and reserves. - The government launched a public tender for exploration of precious and strategic minerals in the eastern provinces. - The tender covers about 13,000 square kilometers in the Tafilalet and Figuig mining basin. - Morocco produces phosphates, lead, zinc, copper, gold, silver, cobalt, manganese, fluorine and barite. - The country is the world’s largest exporter of raw phosphates and holds nearly three-quarters of known global reserves. - Morocco aims to raise non-phosphate mining revenue to more than $1.7 billion by 2030, more than double 2020 levels. - Morocco is the world’s ninth-largest cobalt producer, with output of about 2,000 tons a year. - The country has created a national digital mining registry to simplify licensing and cut administrative hurdles. - Morocco wants to supply emerging gigafactories in Kenitra and Tangier with domestically produced critical minerals. - The mining strategy is tied to battery production, green energy supply chains and lower-carbon industrial output. Between the lines: - IMC 2025 drew more than 650 participants from more than 40 countries, including high-level delegations from major African mining countries. - More than 100 exhibitors took part in the IMC Trade professional exhibition. - Sponsors included OCP, Managem, Aya Gold & Silver, CMT and Morocco Strategic Minerals. - The Marrakech Declaration, adopted at IMC 2025, pushed the sector toward stronger environmental standards, social responsibility and governance. - The declaration was framed by organizers and officials as a continent-wide commitment, not a Morocco-only agenda. - Morocco’s pitch is not just as a producer, but as a processing and export platform for critical minerals. - The country’s combination of reserves, geography and regulatory reform is intended to lower investor risk and attract long-term capital. What’s next: - IMC Morocco 2026 is expected to build on the 2025 edition’s attendance, exhibitor base and policy momentum. - The Rabat gathering should further test Morocco’s ability to convert mining assets into industrial investment and regional leadership. - More information is available at the event website . The bottom line: - Morocco is using IMC 2026 to make a broader case: the country wants to be seen not just as a mining state, but as a critical minerals hub for Africa and beyond.