Life cycle assessment of phosphate mining and beneficiation in Morocco: Performance evaluation

Phosphorus is the corner stone of global food security, with no alternative to its critical role in agriculture and other applications. Most of it is sourced from phosphate rock, yet the environmental impacts of its mining and processing are not comprehensively documented. This study provides a life cycle assessment (LCA) of phosphate rock mining and beneficiation in Morocco, focusing on one of the largest sites in the Gantour basin. Our findings reveal that diesel combustion during mining and beneficiation is the dominant contributor to environmental impacts. Interestingly, the use of renewable energy for electricity significantly reduces its share to the overall impact, varying from 0.02% to 13.4% across different indicators. A sensitivity analysis further shows that shifting to wind energy reduces Global Warming Potential (GWP) by 21% compared to relying on the Moroccan grid mix. The partial reliance on non-conventional water sources also emerges as a key factor in reducing water-related impacts. Moreover, exploring energy alternatives for calcination and drying highlights promising reductions: a 57.6% decrease in GWP for electrified processes and a 41% reduction in freshwater eutrophication using selective catalytic reduction. By shedding light on the environmental footprint of Morocco's current phosphate mining and processing strategies, this work seeks to inform and inspire further research as well as suggesting sustainable alternatives to adopt in this industry.