Cairo has announced plans to develop three phosphate factories in the New Valley area in the Western Desert, according to a statement from the Ministry of Trade and Industry.

Total investment is expected to reach $1.1bn, added the statement.

In November last year, MEED reported that a local consortium made up of Petrojet and Hassan Allam Construction had started work on a phosphate plant in the Ain al-Sokhna area east of Cairo.

The Abu Tartour phosphate fertilisers complex, which will include nine large plants, is one of the biggest industrial projects in Ain al-Sokhna area.

Egypt is undertaking an investment programme to develop its minerals and mining sector. In addition to the latest tender for gold exploration, in late 2016 Egypt’s Ministry of Trade and Industry submitted a 30-year masterplan for the Golden Triangle Project to the cabinet.

The masterplan was carried out by D’Appolonia, the Italian engineering services company, which is responsible for the project that requires approximately $2.3bn-worth of infrastructure works, according to government estimates.

The Golden Triangle project aims to take advantage of the country’s under-tapped mineral resources and develop the Upper Egypt area.

The Golden Triangle scheme is slated to include several interrelated projects including fertiliser factories, phosphate ore processing facilities and facilities to process shale and limestone as a precursor to cement.

The Golden Triangle project focuses on a triangular-shaped area of Egypt that covers 6,000 square kilometres between the towns of Edfu, south of Quena, to Marsa Alam, on the Red Sea coast, to Safaga, which is located to the north of Marsa Alam.