KGHM Targets Morocco for Copper Expansion, Seeking Shorter Supply Lines to Poland

Poland’s state-controlled copper producer KGHM is preparing new investments in Europe and Morocco as it looks to secure raw materials nearer to its Polish smelting base. The company says the move is designed to cut logistics costs, strengthen supply security and reduce its carbon footprint—an increasingly central concern for metals investors as supply chains are reworked around processing hubs.

Morocco becomes a focus of KGHM’s expansion

KGHM chief executive Remigiusz Paszkiewicz said Morocco has become a key priority in the firm’s international expansion strategy. The company is placing greater emphasis on aligning mining assets with domestic processing capacity in Poland, reflecting a broader shift toward more regionalised supply chains across the global metals industry.

Diversified portfolio, new cooperation in North Africa

KGHM already operates a diversified mining portfolio that includes the Robinson mine in the United States and a 55% stake in Chile’s Sierra Gorda project, alongside its major operations in Poland. To strengthen raw material sourcing, it recently signed a memorandum of understanding with Morocco’s National Office of Hydrocarbons and Mines and the local mining group Managem.

The MoU outlines cooperation on mineral resources development and signals deeper engagement in North Africa. Morocco, meanwhile, is positioning itself as a destination for copper and battery-related supply chains, supported by a national digital mining registry intended to simplify licensing procedures and attract foreign investors such as KGHM.

Anti-Atlas copper belt underpins the investment case

Morocco’s copper resources are concentrated largely in the Anti-Atlas mountain range. Among the projects highlighted is Tizert, which is expected to become one of the country’s largest mining operations, with estimated resources of around 100 million tonnes and planned annual output of approximately 120,000 tonnes of copper concentrate.

Other assets mentioned include the Bouskour mine near Ouarzazate (estimated 9 million tonnes of ore grading 1.61% copper), the Bleida mine with copper-cobalt mineralisation, the Bel N’Zourk deposit where cobalt system grades include copper up to 3.44%, and the Kharrouba copper mine near Marrakech, which processes around 800 tonnes of ore per day.

Why proximity matters for European smelting

For KGHM, expanding into Morocco supports a broader strategy focused on shorter and more efficient supply chains for its European smelting operations. By sourcing material closer to Poland, the company aims to reduce dependence on long-distance imports from Chile and the United States. The approach underscores how investment decisions in copper are increasingly shaped not only by production scale but also by proximity to processing capacity, energy considerations and supply chain resilience.