Australian company Zeus Resources has signed an agreement granting it immediate access to the database of the prominent American mining company Newmont concerning exploration in Morocco, particularly in the Anti-Atlas and Central Meseta regions. This database includes mineral occurrence records, digital maps, and structural interpretations. Zeus’s main project in Morocco is the Casablanca antimony project, covering six licenses over 79 square kilometers, with rock samples showing up to 46.52% antimony content. The Australian mining sector contributes directly to Morocco’s trade balance and socio-economic development, especially in remote areas. Morocco’s mining sector accounts for about 10% of GDP and around 30% of total exports. Experts highlight the richness of the Anti-Atlas and Meseta regions in minerals due to their ancient geological formations and active tectonics. The Moroccan government facilitates foreign companies like Zeus by providing exploration data through national agencies, while maintaining short-term licenses to regulate exploitation.

The growing interest of international companies in Morocco’s rare minerals, such as cobalt, is driven by recent discoveries and the development of related industries like car battery manufacturing. Morocco pursues an open-door policy to foreign investment in mining due to the high financial costs involved, a strategy also applied in oil and gas exploration.