The new law on quarry mining in Morocco has come into force, with the aim of encouraging investment, creating sustainable jobs, and simplifying procedures.
The new rules state that for authorisation to open and mine a quarry, authorities must give a response within 60 days, reduced to 30 days for explorative licences or for public works.
Operators must carry out an environmental impact study, and they will also lose their authorisation if they do not mine the quarry within two years. Authorisations can be extended to up to 30 years if the mining is linked to processing, and if the investment is over MAD 4million (€369,685/US$410,888.55), although coastal mines are limited to ten years.
The new law also requires that mining companies pay a deposit to redevelop sites once mining is complete, and stipulates that firms who break the rules will face fines of between MAD 20,000 and MAD 1million.
