Jordan Phosphate Mines Company (JPMC) has signed an agreement with Chongqing Minmetal and Machinery Import and Export Company for the Chinese company to build a $350m phosphate fertiliser plant in Aqaba.

According to the state-run Petra news agency, the two companies signed a memorandum of understand (MoU) to construct a facility that uses phosphate rock mined in Jordan to produce value-added fertiliser products.

The companies are expected to negotiate a final agreement before conducting a feasibility study to determine the scope of the project on Jordan’s Red Sea coast.